DeKalb County 1st-5th grade teachers can request Ag in the Classroom hands-on lesson supply kits.
Benjamin Franklin said, “Tell me and I forget, teach me and I may remember, involve me and I learn.”
What was true for Ben is true for most learners, especially children. That’s why all of DeKalb County Farm Bureau’s Ag in the Classroom lessons include opportunities for students to DO activities, not just listen or watch.
What students will do
First graders will try out their “farming” skills as they plant corn and soybean seeds in clear, corn-based plastic cups. They will care for them by providing warmth, light, and water, then monitor their progress as they germinate and grow.
Identifying and sequencing the steps farmers must take every year to produce successful crops is another important facet of this lesson.
What students will do
Second graders will prepare their own snack by making their own butter and taste-testing it on saltine crackers. Along the way, they will learn why dairy products are important in a healthy diet.
Exploring the ways dairy farmers care for their cows and ensure safe, healthy milk is also a key part of this lesson.
What students will do
Third graders will dissect softened corn kernels and identify the components that make this crop so useful. They will discuss several products to decide whether each is a way field corn is used.
As in the first grade lesson, identifying and sequencing the steps farmers take to produce a corn crop is another key aspect of this lesson.
What students will do
Fourth graders will practice their mapping skills as they locate 16 significant agricultural sites on an Illinois map. When their maps are complete, students will have discovered why so many pumpkins are grown in our state, where to pick fresh peaches, and much more!
This lesson reminds children of the multitude of ways agriculture impacts our lives every day.
What students will do
Each fifth grader will be challenged to answer key questions about an agricultural career and discuss with their classmates whether it is a job they might enjoy. A game of STEM Career Bingo will introduce students to a variety of farm and non-farm careers.
This lesson informs students that the agriculture industry offers career opportunities far beyond the farm.
Requesting AITC lesson kits
Teachers are asked to complete the AITC request form found at
https://bit.ly/DCFB-AITC2022 by the following deadlines:
February 25 – for AITC supplies to be delivered March 4
March 25 – for AITC supplies to be delivered April 1
April 22 – for AITC supplies to be delivered April 29
May 6 – CONNECTIONS Magazine Cover Design Contest deadline
Supplies will be delivered to schools based on dates chosen.
In some cases, high school FFA chapters will be preparing and delivering supplies and/or presenting lessons. Teachers who have been contacted by their district’s FFA chapter do not need to complete a request form.
Supporting Google Slide presentations with embedded videos and step-by-step instructions will be available online for each lesson.
