Project Overview
Commodities
- Agronomic: corn, wheat
- Additional Plants: native plants
Practices
- Education and Training: youth education
- Sustainable Communities: local and regional food systems
Proposal abstract:
Project Abstract
Elementary students from grades 1st -4th will take a field trip to visit Michigan State University’s W.K. Kellogg Biological Station (KBS). At KBS students will learn about agriculture and ecology through hands-on stations along the student activity trail. The hands-on stations take place along agricultural fields and will introduce students to sustainable farming practices, including cover crops, soil health, beneficial insects, importance of clean water, difference between weather and climate. We will use the information learned in the field trip to build on our curriculum goals in each grade.
Detailed Project Plan and Timeline
In the spring of 2016, elementary students from grades 1st -4th will take a field trip to visit Michigan State University’s W.K. Kellogg Biological Station (KBS). At KBS students will learn about agriculture and ecology through hands-on stations along the student activity trail. The hands-on stations take place along agricultural fields and will introduce students to sustainable farming practices, including cover crops, soil health, beneficial insects, importance of clean water, difference between weather and climate. We will use the information learned in the field trip to build on our curriculum goals in each grade. Students will be introduced to aspects of the three pillars of Sustainable Agriculture:
- Economically Viable (profit over the long term): Students will be presented with a breakfast table including corn flakes, milk and blueberries. They will be challenged to think about how farmers help to get this food to our tables and to understand that there are many decisions in the process that affect the quality of the food.
- Ecologically Sound (stewardship of our nation’s land, air and water): the Agriculture and Ecology Student Activity Trail takes place on a 1-mile nature trail at the W.K. Kellogg Bird Sanctuary. The stations along the trail are based on the ecological principles studied through the National Science Foundation funded, Long Term Ecological Research program (LTER). The Kellogg Biological Station Long-term Ecological Research (LTER) Program studies the ecology of intensive field crop ecosystems and its environmental consequences. Students will learn about soil health, cover crops, beneficial insects, the water cycle, transpiration, weather vs. climate and how seeds germinate.
- Socially Responsible (quality of life for farmers, ranchers and their communities): Students will be challenged to think about the life of a farmer and the many decisions they are faced with (ex. when to plant – weather, how to care for their soil, how to provide natural habitat for beneficial insects). Students will complete a journal/activity book along the trail to help them think and reflect on what they are learning.
Timeline
March/April 2016: Teachers will participate in the leader training for the Agriculture & Ecology Student Activity Trail. Teachers will meet researchers and farmers from the Long Term Ecological Research Program. Students will complete a pre-survey.
April 2016: Four field trips to Kellogg Biological Station. Students will complete a post-survey. Teachers will take pictures and share them on the school’s facebook page.
April/May 2016: Lists of questions for farmers will be completed and sent to KBS farmers. The field trip experience will be built upon in each grades lessons plans and curriculum. 1st grade: weather, living and nonliving things; 2nd grade: plant life cycle; 4th organisms and environment. Teachers will write an article after their field trip for the monthly school newsletter.
Fall 2016: Teachers will also present/share about their experience at the fall 2016 KBS K-12 Partnership Workshop. This Workshop will be attended by about 50 K-12 teachers from throughout Barry, Calhoun and Kalamazoo Counties.
Resources Used
We will work with the staff and researchers at W.K. Kellogg Biological Station, particularly the staff at W.K. Kellogg Bird Sanctuary and the researchers from the KBS Long Term Ecological Research program. Web-based resources can be found here: http://lter.kbs.msu.edu/get-involved/educational-resources/ The Sanctuary will supply copies of the Student Activity Book for each participating student and resources for teachers and chaperones. For the professional development/teacher training we will work with Kara Haas, Science Education and Outreach Coordinator at Kellogg Biological Station.
Outreach
Teachers will write an article after their field trip for the monthly school newsletter. They will take pictures to be placed on the school’s facebook page. Teachers will also present/share about their experience at the fall 2016 KBS K-12 Partnership Workshop. This Workshop will be attended by about 50 K-12 teachers from throughout Barry, Calhoun and Kalamazoo Counties.
Student and Community Impact
Students will complete a pre and post survey to gauge their understanding of agricultural landscapes. The pre and post survey will include a drawing of a farm/agricultural landscape. After the field trip, students will return to their drawing and add any additional features that they have learned about. A count of participating students, parent chaperones and teachers will be collected. We anticipate participation by 135 students, 9 teachers and 15 or more parent chaperones. Articles in the school newsletter and facebook page could reach 100 or more people.
Project objectives from proposal:
1. Engage students with sustainable farming practices and ecology concepts including cover crops, soil health, beneficial insects, the importance of clean water, and the difference between weather and climate through a field trip to Michigan State University’s W.K. Kellogg Biological Station.
2. Challenge students to think about the life of a farmer and the many decisions they are faced with including when to plant, how to care for their soil and provide natural habitat for beneficial insects through completion of a journal/activity book while on the field trip.