WATERLOO, Iowa — Black Hawk County Extension and Outreach is partnering the Black Hawk County Farm Bureau and the Waterloo Schools to deliver FarmChat-style, virtual agricultural education lessons in a new series being fully offered to classrooms April 1st.
4-H FarmTime is designed for classes of kindergarten students to experience a visit to a farm from the convenience of their classrooms. Curriculum used in the lessons is adapted from the Iowa Agriculture Literacy Foundation. The lessons are hands on and will provide a positive impact on urban participants’ worldview and understanding of Iowa’s longstanding tradition of agriculture.
The pilot lesson, Dairy, includes a warm up activity centered around an introduction to dairy cattle, a pre-recorded virtual tour with Jordan Hansen of Hansen’s Dairy in Hudson, and a cool down activity that offers students the opportunity to explore dairy products and make their own butter.
The pilot offering was open March 4th-15th with participating classes at Orange Elementary and Irving Elementary. 41 students experienced the Dairy lesson during the pilot period. Feedback was collected from classroom teachers to create ease of curriculum delivery and elevate the experience for participating kindergarten students.
During the pilot period, survey information was gathered from youth to gauge lesson impact and overall program purpose. Prior to lesson delivery 17% of participants disagreed that Dairy farmers wear overalls and milk cows with their hands. After the lesson, 80% of participants disagreed reflecting a 63% positive perception change. In total, data was collected on five dairy-related survey statements with positive perception differences in four of the five.
Data will be collected during the full 4-H FarmTime offering with program impact being shared with stakeholders and partners in early summer. For more information about 4-H FarmTime and Black Hawk County Extension and Outreach’s youth programs, visit: www.extension.iastate.edu/blackhawk/ or contact the Black Hawk County Extension office at 319-234-6811.
Iowa State University Extension and Outreach does not discriminate on the basis of age, disability, ethnicity, gender identity, genetic information, marital status, national origin, pregnancy, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, or status as a U.S. veteran. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Inquiries regarding non-discrimination policies may be directed to the Diversity Officer, 2150 Beardshear Hall, 515 Morrill Road, Ames, Iowa 50011, 515-294-1482, extdiversity@iastate.edu. All other inquiries may be directed to 1-800-262-3804.
— Iowa State University Extension and Outreach Black Hawk County
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