Elementary school students learn about ag science
Nearly 300 third graders from Central-Denison, Randall, Star Center, Traver and Woods elementary schools spent time learning about agriculture science at Badger High School Oct. 18.
The hands-on experience exposed the children to the career pathways in the world of agriculture and excites them for when they will be students at the high school.
Badger FFA advisors Larry Plapp and Candice Franks and 48 FFA members set up and ran six labs in which each elementary student participates. The labs were fun (and tasty) and helped the elementary school kids understand agriculture, science and their importance to Wisconsin and the world.
The labs included:
- Soils and vermiculture – learning about the layers of soil and worm composting through making pudding dirt cups;
- Plants – making ivy cuttings and learning about plant parts;
- Food Science – learning the science behind a taco and where food products come from in the United States;
- Veterinary Science – learning about a calf, mini horse, kittens, chickens, rabbits, guinea pigs, and sheep plus listening to the heart rate on an animal with a stethoscope;
- Aquaponics – learning about Badger’s Farm-To-School Program, including the tilapia, lettuce, spinach, and tomatoes grown for school lunch and the local food pantries; and
- Beekeeping and Pollinators – a local beekeeper talked about her bees and students made soybean-beeswax lip balm.
Badger FFA holds the annual event as a part of FFA Food for America agriculture literacy programming.
