By Emmy Powell
Communications Specialist

Teachers across the Lone Star State can bring agriculture to their classrooms with the help of numerous digital resources available through Texas Farm Bureau’s (TFB) Ag in the Classroom program.

“TFB’s educational resources help teachers incorporate agriculture into their classrooms through resources, including lessons, that link agriculture and the subjects being learned in the classroom such as science, social studies, math and more,” said Jordan Bartels, TFB associate director of Organization Division, Educational Outreach.

Free digital resources
TFB provides downloadable resources teachers and parents can use at home or in the classroom to bring agriculture to life. Free publications and posters are available.

Resources for agricultural education courses are available to help high school students dive into production agriculture with assistance from Texas farmers and ranchers. Activities, videos and lesson plans are available for free download and use in the classroom.

TFB provides virtual resources that help teachers and parents incorporate agricultural information into educational lessons. The virtual resources for grades K-7 can be used at home or in the classroom.

Curriculum matrix
The Agriculture in the Classroom curriculum matrix gives teachers access to 475 free lessons. These lessons incorporate agricultural concepts across all subjects and grade levels.

Matrix lessons are aligned to national teaching standards, and some are aligned to Texas teaching standards

Access the curriculum matrix here.

Lesson plans
TFB has an additional 23 lessons aligned with Texas teaching standards. The K-12 lessons and ag-tivities are available online at no cost to teachers.

Download the lesson plans here.

Additional information
TFB also offers the Farm From School program, a virtual opportunity for K-5 classrooms to engage with a farmer or rancher to learn about how agriculture connects to grade-level concepts. Farm From School is open to Texas public, private and homeschool educators. Learn more about Farm From School.

TFB’s Learning From the Ground Up Garden Grant Program and Homeschool Garden Grant Program are additional resources available for public, private and homeschool programs. The grant programs support schools and educational programs that strive to help students understand the source of their food, fiber and fuel and gain a greater knowledge and appreciation of agriculture.

Also available to teachers and schools is TFB’s new Ag on the Go program. The educational trailers include interactive lessons and facts on crops and livestock grown in Texas. To schedule a visit, contact your local county Farm Bureau office, email MLB@txfb.org or call 254.751.2273.

Bartels noted TFB’s educational efforts help students better understand that agriculture is science, social studies, math, technology and so much more.

“Free lessons and resources provide teachers with great options for incorporating agriculture into their classrooms without having to create more work for themselves,” Bartels said. “Such lessons and resources are important because they help students make connections to the food they eat and clothes they wear through concepts they’re learning throughout the school year.”

Contact TFB’s Educational Outreach team at edoutreach@txfb.org.

Learn more about TFB’s Ag in the Classroom resources at texasfarmbureau.org/aitc.