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!

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.

Potatoes... Where Do They Grow?

Potatoes! We like them baked, mashed, and deep fried as french fries or potato chips!

Digging into the geography and science will make you a more savvy consumer and "spud-smart." Time to begin the investigation!

Where do potatoes grow? Above ground or below? What type of climate?

Why do farmers grow potatoes from sections of potato instead of from the seed produced by the flower?

• K-2nd Grade: Use the Plant Tops and Bottoms lesson to discover that fruits and vegetables come from plants. Janet Steven's book, Tops and Bottoms would also be an excellent addition!

Do potatoes come from the top or the bottom of a plant?

• 3rd-5th Grade: Use the Powerful Potato lesson to explore life science and observe a potato growing with and without soil! The book, No Small Potatoes is also a great addition.

How does geography impact the growth of potatoes?

• 6th-12th Grade: Take a look at Geography and Climate for Agricultural Landscapes. Discuss how climate, geography, and food are connected.

If you could only consume locally grown foods, would potatoes be part of your diet?

• 9th-12th Grade: Think about genetics in relation to the potato. Farmers grow potatoes from sections of the potato. Is this a form of sexual or asexual plant propagation? Potato plants do produce a flower, containing seeds... why don't farmers plant these seeds? (The answer is in the video!)

What form of plant propagation produces a crop genetically identical to the parent crop?

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.

Makin' it Monday! .... Bread

Bread in a Bag

There’s nothing quite like the smell of freshly baked bread. Bread in a Bag is an activity perfect for learning at home. Make the following connections to curriculum:

• K-2nd Grade: Pair this activity with the lesson The Little Red Hen to explore wheat production and bread making. 

Flour is made by grinding up wheat... where does wheat come from?

• 3rd-5th Grade: Make 2 loaves of bread. Do a science experiment and change one variable to see how it impacts the end result. For example, compare regular vs. quick-rising yeast or allow one loaf to rise in an extra warm place and the other in a cooler place.

Why is science important to the production of our food?

• 6th-8th Grade: Research careers in the area of food science. How are science and the production of food related? Watch videos from IFT's (Institute of Food Technologists) Day in the Life of a Food Scientist playlist.

What are examples of careers in food science and why are they important to our food supply?

• 9-12th Grade: Explore the phenomenon of what makes bread dough rise. Research alcoholic fermentation and its connection to cellular respiration using the Food Science: Bread Dough Challenge lesson. You can also read about the History of Yeast.

How does the processing of food (making flour into bread) add value to agricultural goods?

To find more resources adapted to online learning, visit our eLearning website.

New App to Practice Nutrition Principles Taught by MyPlate

An agbyte tool for teaching nutrition using MyPlate. This is a new app from USDA that you could integrate into your middle or high school eLearning classroom. Students can use the app to set nutrition goals, track food consumption from the 5 food groups, and even join a nutrition challenge.

What is a serving size for different foods and food groups?

What foods contribute to a healthy diet?

What changes can I make to my diet to improve my health?

Visit the USDA website to learn more about the app.

To find more resources adapted to online learning, visit our eLearning website.

Exploring the Columbian Exchange through Chocolate

Do you prefer milk or dark chocolate? Let's talk history and the Columbian Exchange. Chocolate is considered a New World food. Here's an agbyte activity where students taste different types of chocolate to determine if price is an indicator of better taste. Find the instructions and printable on the Matrix! Chocolate Taste-testing.

To find more resources adapted to online learning, visit our eLearning website.