Wisconsin Farm Bureau’s Ag in the Classroom program has awarded 13 teacher mini-grants for agricultural literacy lessons and activities.
The Wisconsin Farm Bureau Foundation provided this funding, that may not be available through local school budgets, for teachers to share information about food, fuel and fiber production.
The following teachers were awarded $100 grants:
Hydroponics in the Classroom
Nicholas Mees – Merrill Middle School, Oshkosh
The grant will be used to purchase additional hydroponic equipment, so students can expand their knowledge of hydroponics through maintenance, weekly measurements, pH readings and nutrient requirements as they grow lettuce, green beans, tomatoes and other crops.
Greenhouse Cultivation of Vegetables
Dr. Julie Ray – Winter Schools, Winter
Students at Winter Schools will use this funding for pots, potting soil and other equipment used to learn about planting and caring for vegetables. Students will also further understand the importance of sunlight, water and other resources in growing plants and collect and analyze data on growth patterns.
All Suited Up
Frank Van Brocklin – Northland Lutheran High School, Kronenwetter
Northland Lutheran High School is in the process of developing a honey bee colony and will use this grant to purchase a bee suit. Students will learn to establish a hive, work safely around bees and how bees live in a community.
Ready for Rural Life!
Kirstin Thompson – Greenfield Elementary, Baldwin
Grant dollars will be used to support an oral history unit as students interview people about their rural life experiences. This project will lead students to research rural life skills, seek out experts in the community and complete an oral presentation on the information they gathered.
Understanding How Seeds Grow
John Slipek – Abbotsford High School, Abbotsford
Abbotsford High School students will work with second grade classrooms at their elementary school to teach the principals of growing seeds into plants. The grant will be used to purchase seeds, containers and other supplies needed.
Lucky Ducks
Teri Eberhardy – DCE 4K at St John Lutheran, Wausau
Students will hatch duck eggs in their classroom and learn about duckling development, hatching and new duckling care. The grant will help fund a new incubator that has an egg turner feature.
School Greenhouse Upgrades
Lisa Wasson – Houlton Elementary, Houlton
The grant will help purchase screens for the vents on the school greenhouse where fourth grade students will learn to plant corn, beans and squash for the 3 Sisters Garden, part of the Native Americans Farming Society unit.
Together Exploring the World of Agriculture
Cheri Oglesby – St. Rose of Lima, Cuba City
High school students at St. Rose of Lima will take advantage of this funding to assist in purchasing resources to teach Pre-K students about agriculture. The older students will utilize books, memory cards, games and other educational activities to teach the younger students.
Greenhouse Improvements
Tim Olson – Houlton Elementary, Houlton
This grant will purchase additional screens and vents needed for the school’s greenhouse. Plants grown in the greenhouse are part of a Native American farming practices unit which focuses on characteristics and life cycles of organisms.
Moovin’ to Educate About Agriculture
Candice Franks – Badger High School, Lake Geneva
This grant will help educate more than 300 students about veterinary science and other careers in the animal science field. The funds will help purchase gates for use during the Food for America event the FFA chapter hosts, which will promote safe animal handling and allow students to gain animal husbandry skills.
Agriculture Books
Heidi Tubbs – Warrens Elementary School, Warrens
The grant money will be used to purchase books that promote agriculture, which will be read to elementary students during milk break and used with “This Business Called Agriculture” and other resources about agriculture.
Hatching Chicks
Louise Ploederl – St. Edward School, Appleton
Students at St. Edward School will be hatching chicks and plan to use this funding to purchase incubator thermometers, bedding, feed, waterers and heat lamps. The classroom will receive fertilized eggs from a local farmer and watch and record the process of hatching and chick growth.
Greenhouse Equipment Upgrade
Patrick Sahli – Houlton Elementary, Houlton
Houlton Elementary will use this grant to help fund equipment that will improve ventilation in the current greenhouse. Students will observe and note changes that occur because of improved ventilation and differences in insect infiltration rates.
The Wisconsin Ag in the Classroom program also has matching grants available to groups and organizations that conduct agricultural literacy projects. Applications are due by March 1 and can be obtained at wisagclassroom.org or by contacting Darlene Arneson at 608.828.5644 or [email protected].
