By Julie Tomascik
Editor

Creating engaging lessons about agriculture earned five teachers recognition from Texas Farm Bureau (TFB).

The state’s largest farm and ranch organization hosted a contest this summer, asking teachers to submit original lesson plans that incorporate agriculture in the classroom.

The Lesson Plan Challenge provided a unique opportunity to grow curriculum resources for Texas teachers who want to increase agricultural literacy and awareness across all grades and subject areas.

“Agriculture can fit into any subject and in any grade,” Jordan Walker, TFB director of Education Outreach, said. “We wanted this challenge to inspire Texas teachers to create interactive lessons that involve accurate agricultural information, and they did. We received outstanding lesson plans that will help bridge the gap between students and agriculture.”

The winners in this year’s challenge include:

Grades 3-5 Category
First Place
Marsha Hammack
Fifth grade ELAR and science teacher
Taylor County
Lesson Title: “It’s All in a Day’s Work”

Second Place
Shelly Renfro
Fifth grade science teacher
Denton County
Lesson Title: “Processed vs. Unprocessed Foods”

Grades 6-8 Category
First Place
Jennifer Pesky
Seventh grade science teacher
Austin County
Lesson Title: “Select R’ Us”

Grades 9-12 Category
First Place
Myles Hammack
High school Spanish and English teacher
Dickens County
Lesson Title: “La Importancia de la Agricultura Mi Leccion de Agricultura Para El Espanol 3”

Second Place
Mary Beth Bauer
High school environmental science teacher
Kerr County
Lesson Title: “Go ‘O’ or No? Organic or Traditional Food Production?”

“Texas is one of the top agricultural states in the nation, and it’s great to see teachers bringing the diverse aspects of agriculture—food, fiber, fuel, farming practices, sustainability, conservation and more—to life into the classroom,” Walker said.

The winners received one digital microscope for use in the classroom and $300 to purchase classroom supplies. The first-place winners also received an all-expense paid trip to the 2021 National Ag in the Classroom Annual Conference.

To participate, teachers had to submit completed, original lesson plans, along with supporting materials and a citation sheet that included all sources used.

Each teacher who submitted a lesson plan received a classroom garden kit that includes a 32-cell starter tray, 32 soil pucks and 10 packs of seeds, as well as an accurate ag book.

For more information on the Lesson Plan Challenge and other Ag in the Classroom resources for teachers, visit https://texasfarmbureau.org/aitc.