Lesson Plans

1. What is a Pest?
2. Hopper Hunt
3. Mouthpart Madness
4. Equine Connection
5. Seed Knowledge
6. From Seed to Plant
7. Race to the Eating Line
8. KJ & Friends - Agriculture is a Big Word!
   

1. Plant Oils - 6,7, 8th grade
2. Poetry Haikus Based on Ag
3. Land and EnvironmentSustainability - high school
4. Erosion
5. Existing Soil and Farmland - Grades 3-6
6. Reading, interpreting, and creating clichés - based on Agriculture - Grades 2-5
   1. Sample cliches
7. Wheat
1. Lesson Plan
2. Wheat Word Search and solution
8. Pennsylvania Ag Products

What is a Pest?
A rabbit can make a wonderful pet, but can also cause problems in a garden by eating the lettuce. Should the rabbit be considered a pest? This activity is designed to bring up questions in a group setting and allow the participants to clarify what, when, and where a certain organism is or is not considered a pest and why.

Hopper Hunt
IPM Decision-making in Alfalfa
Farmers must consider many variables when deciding to treat their crops for pests. Using real-world agricultural research, students can sample an alfalfa field for pests and make decisions on the future of the
crop based on profit margin and pest management techniques.

Mouthpart Madness
Understanding the basic biology of a pest is a key component to implementing proper Integrated Pest Management (IPM) techniques to manage that pest. In this activity students will explore the four major kinds of insect mouthparts and apply that knowledge to devising management techniques.

Equine Connection
Created by AITC teacher, Carlene Pearce-Houston, Equine Connection is a series of integrated lessons exploring some of the many ways to "put the horse in the lesson.

Seed Knowledge - an integrated lesson exploring the variety of seeds and their many uses.

From Seed to Plant - an enrichment activity for the Middle School that follows the development of seeds and conditions affecting plant growth.

Race to the Eating Line - a fun activity that promotes an understanding of fruit and vegetable crops, both agriculturally and nutritionally.

KJ and Friends’ - Agriculture is a BIG Word!
The “Agriculture is a BIG Word” CD, which includes six lesson plans aligned to state academic standards and 13 easy-to-learn songs about milk, farming, planting a garden and barnyard animals is being offered for free. 

Plant Oils - Which oil freezes at a higher temperature? - The objective of this lesson is to determine which oil would freeze at a higher temperature.  Students will determine which oil would be healthier to ingest based on their findings. Middle School students – 6, 7, 8 grades

Poetry- Haikus Based on Agriculture - To write poems that include description of people, places, things; To write with a sharp, distinct focus, identifying task, topic, and audience; To edit writing using conventions of language, such as correct spelling of frequently misspelled words, using capitals correctly, syllabication.

Existing Soil and Farmland -Through teacher modeling and guidance, each student will visually observe how our global natural resources affect our farmer’s ability to create and preserve the existing farmland today and in the future. Grades 3-6

Erosion - Students will brainstorm possible roles of plants in land and water interactions, as well as investigate how plants affect water flow and erosion.

Land & Environment Sustainability - Through critical analysis of today’s economy and studying the future of our existing economy, the students will create (simulate) a regional plan where a given community can cooperate to preserve its economic and environmental structure within the existing structure OR plan and create a new community using the same regional economic environmental design through which we are mostly sustainable to the land/environment. High School

Reading, interpreting, and creating clichés - The students will listen and read clichés, recall and state clichés known to them, analyze meaning of clichés, and assist to create various farm-like cliché expressions that are heard and spoken in our community.  Grades 2-5

Sample Cliches

Wheat -students will study different kinds of wheat, and listen to the story, From Wheat to Bread and learn how wheat is grown and produced. Student will mix flour with other ingredients to make “Bread In A Bag”.

Word Search and Solution

Pennsylvania Ag Products- studens identify major crops grown in the U.S. and Pennsylvania using maps and discussing why certain crops grow in certain areas.