Elementary students to learn about farming, livestock, more
Missouri Farmers Care Foundation’s Agriculture Education on the Move (AEOTM) is excited to announce a partnership this fall with the Southwest FFA Chapter to educate third grade students about agriculture.
AEOTM, a program of the Missouri Farmers Care Foundation, is a proactive, educational effort in which passionate, trained educators spend time in the classroom helping elementary students build agricultural literacy. During the ten-week program, Southwest elementary students will learn about crops, livestock, soil and water conservation, nutrition, careers in agriculture and more.
The STEM-focused lessons and curriculum meet state learning objectives. Hands-on activities provide fun and interactive ways of learning as students make soybean germination necklaces, corn plastic, butter, feed rations, soil profiles and more.
Students connect with real Missouri farm families through the curriculum and learn how their dedication and year-round efforts affect everyone’s daily lives.
“Agriculture education in elementary classrooms is a valuable experience for all involved,” said Heather Fletcher, AEOTM program director. “Students, teachers and even AEOTM educators and partners are connecting to the world around them, where their food comes from and how agriculture affects daily life. We value each participating school and look forward to returning year after year.”
Five students at Southwest will learn about food, fuel and fiber with local AEOTM student educators from the Southwest FFA chapter this fall.
“The entire community benefits from Agriculture Education on the Move as local students experience the thrill of germinating seeds, understanding the basics of how their food is produced and seeing, many for the first time, the agriculture all around them,” said Ashley McCarty, MFC executive director. “The connections the students make this semester will help inform their perspectives as future consumers and see the potential of agriculturally-related careers.”
The Southwest School District’s participation with AEOTM is a component of Barry County’s Agri-Ready County Designation. MFC’s Agri-Ready County Designation launched in December 2015 as a voluntary connection between Missouri counties and the leadership of Missouri agriculture.
Agri-Ready County Designation builds agricultural literacy while recognizing and building on the impact of family farmers and agri-businesses as key contributors to our economy and the quality of life in Missouri communities.
The AEOTM program is funded through Missouri Farmers Care, a coalition of more than 40 Missouri agriculture groups. Missouri soybean farmers and their checkoff and the MFA Oil Foundation support funding of the program, along with contributions from: Missouri Corn Merchandising Council, FCS Financial, MFA Incorporated, Missouri Beef Industry Council, and the Missouri Fertilizer Control Board.
