Project-based Learning at Home

Here's an agbyte that is tasty AND fun! Complete a project-based learning activity at home to find the perfect recipe for an ice pop. This plan is shared from the NSTA website.

How Important Are Plants?

An #agbyte to read. Wesley suffers rejection from classmates until he puts his school lessons to use and founds his own civilization around a staple crop that blows in on the wind. He turns over a plot of earth, and plants begin to grow. They soon tower above him and bear a curious-looking fruit. As Wesley experiments, he finds that the plant will provide food, clothing, shelter, and even recreation. Wesley's innovations make a perfect tie-in for teaching about goods and services in the community and how agriculture creates jobs and influences development. His whimsical garden is also sure to pique students curiosity about growing plants, making this a nice introduction to any plant-related lesson.

See the lesson plans connected to this book on the Matrix!

Weekly Learning Activities!

Each week the American Farm Bureau Foundation for Agriculture is posting a collection of ag literacy learning activities to do at home. There are lots to choose from for all ages and covering topics in multiple subject areas. Keep your eye out for them each Monday!

Can You Spot the Technology on a Modern Dairy Farm?

Watch the virtual tour of a dairy farm where they highlight all the technology that is used to produce milk!

Explore more dairy topics on the Matrix!

On This Day in History...

On this day (April 14th) in 1935 the sky turned black on America's high southern plains. Sand-filled winds scoured the paint off houses and cars, trains derailed, and electricity coursed through the air. Sand and dirt fell like snow.

Use this book and the associated lesson plans to teach about America's most catastrophic natural event: the Dust Bowl.

Visit the Matrix for more resources about the Dust Bowl.

Farmers 2050... Some Friday Fun!

It's time for some Friday fun! Who wants a game that is educational, free, fun, and doesn't have in-app advertisements or purchases? 💁‍♀️💁‍♂️

"Farmers 2050" has all of that! Grow crops, raise livestock, craft and sell goods, and engage with global partners as you practice sustainable agriculture!

It's free and available on the App Store or Google Play. Share how this game can provide engaging context for online learning!

Technology and the Future of Agriculture

Now more than ever we are relying on technology. Technology is connecting teachers and students during school closures and providing the ability for family and friends to keep in contact during times of social distancing to curb the spread of disease. How about technology on the farm? Take a look at this video highlighting technology in agriculture.

• K-2nd Grade: Use the It's a MOO-stery! lesson to learn about the tools used on a dairy farm both past and present. Meet Jenna, a Dairy Farmer from Indiana.

What tools and technology are used on a dairy farm?

• 3rd-5th Grade: Watch the videos in the High-Tech Farming lesson to see robots, drones, and self-driving tractors at work. Then watch The Magic School Bus Rides Again: Ghost Farm (Season 2, episode 3) on Netflix or read the book, Magic School Bus Rides Again: Robot Farm.

What are three ways technology improves the production of food on farms?

• 6th-8th Grade: Complete the Technology and Innovation Find Someone Who... game. Rather than finding classmates, have students reach out to friends and family through social media, texting, or phone calls and then write a reflection about how the use of these technologies impact daily life.

How does technology impact our day-to-day lives?

• 9th-12th Grade: Complete the Journey 2050: Technology and Innovations eLearning lesson (PDF or Google Doc).

Describe the role technology and innovations have in the future of agriculture.


Visit the National Agricultural Literacy Curriculum Matrix for hundreds of free K-12 lesson plans aligned to National education standards. Visit the eLearning site for resources adapted specifically for online learning.