Wisconsin Farm Bureau’s Ag in the Classroom program has awarded five teacher mini-grants to be used for agricultural literacy lessons and activities. The $100 grants, funded by the Wisconsin Farm Bureau Foundation, provide opportunities for teachers to obtain funding that may not be available through their local school budgets.
The following teachers were awarded grants:
Agriculture Education Station- Kirsten Konder – Luck Public Schools, Luck
Students in middle school agriculture classes will research one area of Wisconsin agriculture and become well versed in the commodity. They will make a tri-fold display and give presentations to their class, and later, to fourth grade students during their agriculture units. The displays will also be used during the Luck Ag on the Lawn event in May. The grant will help purchase display boards for each student.
Hydroponic System- Stephanie DeVries – Cambria-Friesland Schools, Cambria
The grant will be used towards a hydroponic tower garden for middle-high school agriculture classes. The mobile resource can be moved from classroom to classroom in their K-12 building. The garden can help students learn about plant growth, pollination, food environment and hydroponics. The grant will be used to help purchase the structure, mineral blend, rock wool cubes, pots and seeds.
Little Gardens with Big Hopes! – Cheri Oglesby – St. Rose of Lima, Cuba City
This pre-K project will allow the students to make a garden in a bucket. Each child will choose the food seeds they would like to plant as they learn about how seeds germinate, grow and produce food. They will learn about soil and compost. This project can be done at school or at home. The grant will help purchase the garden tools, watering cans, buckets, potting soil and seeds.
Pandemic Possibilities! – Kirstin Thompson – Greenfield Elementary, Baldwin
This timely interdisciplinary project will emphasize a balanced literacy approach to teaching students to be self-sufficient during a pandemic and oral history and rural life skill educational opportunities. The grant will be used to purchase agricultural-based, informational texts that students can use to do their research and give them background information. They will follow-up with interviews of community members.
Virtual Adopt-an-Animal – Amy Gerhardt – School District of Neillsville, Neillsville
The Neillsville FFA will partner with elementary classrooms for an “Adopt-an-Animal” project. They will have monthly virtual interactions with the elementary classes to help them learn about animals, what they eat, how they are cared for and other topics. The high school students will be learning how to share information using technology, improving communication and speaking skills and creating educational programming while staying within COVID-19 parameters. The grant will be used to purchase a camera tripod, carrying bag, cable and camera.
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