By Emmy Powell
Communications Specialist
Texas Farm Bureau’s (TFB) Ag in the Classroom resources helps teachers across the state bring agriculture to their students and classroom.
“The purpose of TFB’s educational resources is to 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.
Farm From School
TFB’s Farm From School program offers 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.
Registration for Spring 2023 is now open.
Learn more about Farm From School.
Learning From the Ground Up Garden Grant
Texas Farm Bureau’s Learning From the Ground Up Garden Grant Program supports schools that strive to help students understand the source of their food, fiber and fuel and gain a greater knowledge and appreciation of agriculture.
The garden grant program connects small-scale gardening to modern farming to help students understand food production.
Qualifying projects provide students with hands-on, experiential learning about agriculture through the funding of a new garden project or improvements to an existing garden or greenhouse. Aquaponic and hydroponic systems are eligible if they are used to teach food production.
Grants up to $500 may be requested, with the possibility of matching funds from a county Farm Bureau.
Applications for the 2022-23 school year close Friday, Oct. 14.
Learn more here.
Curriculum Matrix
The Agriculture in the Classroom Curriculum Matrix gives teachers access to over 500 free lessons. These lessons incorporate agriculture concepts across all subjects and grade levels.
Matrix lessons are aligned to national 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.
Other free 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.
Also available to teachers and schools is TFB’s Mobile Learning Barn. It is an educational trailer that includes agricultural videos and facts on crops and livestock grown in Texas. To learn more or to book a unit, contact your local county Farm Bureau office, email MLB@txfb.org or call 254.751.2273.
Additional information
Bartels noted that TFB’s educational efforts help learners better understand that agriculture is science, social studies, math, technology and so much more. These lesson plans and resources help connect students in classrooms to agriculture in their daily lives.
“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.”
Learn more about Ag in the Classroom at texasfarmbureau.org/aitc.