Ag-Based Curriculum Inspires Students

Carol Reed, Executive Director of the Tennessee Corn Promotion Board presents a check in the amount of $15,000 to JoAnn Maupin, an Educational Consultant for the Tennessee Ag in the Classroom from Dyer County.

Every day, Tennessee corn farmers are striving to meet the growing demands for food, fuel and fiber. Being able to adapt to new technologies and farming practices in an ever-evolving market calls for a highly skilled workforce adept to modern farming practices. 

Helping farmers secure these much-needed, highly skilled roles on the farm are Tennesee’s elementary and secondary school teachers. 

Using a network of over two thousand teachers in Tennessee, the Tennessee Ag in the Classroom program distributes educational information about Tennessee agriculture’s economic impact, as well as its promising employment opportunities for a highly skilled workforce.

In addition to providing curriculum that aligns with the Tennessee State Education Standards, a series of summer workshops equip teachers with hands-on training to easily integrate agriculture lessons into their existing classroom activities. Workshops are held in eleven different locations across Tennessee.

Dr. Wilson is shown demonstrating how to catch different insects for a classroom study.

In June, Tennessee Corn had the opportunity to visit one of these workshops held at the University of Tennessee Martin campus. Dr. Craig Wilson, Director of the Future Scientist Program at Texas A&M University, offered various innovative ways for educators to incorporate ag-related lessons into their science and math classrooms. Dr. Wilson’s presentation reinforced how teaching ag-based curriculum inspires students to solve real-world science issues. 

Using funding provided by the Tennessee Corn Promotion Board, the Tennessee Ag in the Classroom program offered farm tours to teachers who had attended past workshops. Tour stops followed the path of food production beginning with the growing of grain for food and feedstock, to the raising of livestock and processing of meat products. Local farmers at each stop shared information about the economic investment needed to plant and harvest crops and introduced teachers to new precision agriculture technologies farmers use to improve crop production, as well as demonstrate how new tech maximizes soil and water conservation.