By Jennifer Dorsett
Field Editor
Texas students can now virtually visit farms from their classrooms with the new Texas Farm Bureau (TFB) Farm From School program.
Set to launch for the spring 2021 semester, Farm From School aims to connect kindergarten through second-grade students with farmers in their area to see and learn first-hand where and how food is grown and raised.
“The goal of the program is to really engage young students in the classroom by giving them unique opportunities to see how agriculture fits into things they’re learning and how it’s part of their daily lives,” Jordan Walker, TFB director of Educational Outreach, said. “Even when kids are engaging in a more ‘normal’ learning schedule and environment, there are so many who don’t have the opportunity to take field trips to a farm or ranch, so this is a way of bringing the farm or ranch to them.”
Ten teachers from each of TFB’s 13 districts will be selected to participate (click here to see TFB’s 13 districts). Classes will be assigned to a farmer in that school’s TFB district for the duration of the spring semester.
Walker noted each farmer will be assigned to classes with monthly virtual meetings, and all classes in the district will tune in and “meet” the farmer on the same day.
“Classrooms will connect virtually with their farmer or rancher through a once-a-month video conference February through May. During the rest of each month, the kids will connect with farmers by writing them letters,” she said. “In the letters, they can ask them questions they’d like answered about what’s happening on the farm or ranch or maybe get an answer to a general question they’ve always had about agriculture.”
Throughout the semester, students will participate in lessons incorporating agriculture and learn more about agricultural concepts introduced through the virtual meetings.
All classes that complete the program will receive a T-shirt for each student.
Every primary participating teacher will be given a children’s book that accurately portrays agriculture, gain access to TFB’s extensive agricultural education resources and receive one 32-cell starter tray gardening kit for their classroom.
“It’s a way for students to be present in the field with the farmer and rancher and see what’s growing, what the animals are doing, what they’re being fed,” Walker said. “Getting to know the farmer really personalizes the experience, and we’re excited to see how the kids and farmers engage throughout the program.”
Click here to sign up. Space is limited.
Additional details are available at texasfarmbureau.org/aitc.
Contact Walker at jwalker1@txfb.org or call 254.751.2569 with questions.