MANKATO, Minn. — Minnesota Soybean Research and Promotion Council (MSR&PC) partnered with U.S. Farmers & Ranchers Alliance (USFRA) to launch a Teacher Awareness Program that allows urban teachers and students to learn about modern agriculture first-hand. The program aims to increase awareness about innovation in today’s agricultural industry, through topics including sustainability, crop biotechnology, animal health and welfare. The engaging and interactive approach to the program is designed to provide teachers with real world insights and understanding of how their food is grown and raised – teachers can sign-up at the link below.
This August 29th and 31st, MSR&PC and USFRA will take high school educators in both Minneapolis and Sacramento on a farm tour, followed by an information session, to engage with farmers and individuals who work in the agriculture industry. They will also learn more about USFRA’s Discovering Farmland curriculum and receive an iPod Touch and virtual reality headsets to help incorporate agricultural videos into their curriculum and classrooms.
“This program gives urban teachers a unique opportunity to speak with farmers and learn about new curriculum resources. The curriculum was developed through a partnership with Discovery Education specifically geared toward high school students,” said Rochelle Krusemark, who serves as a board member for both MSR&PC and USFRA. “Our goal is to bring farmers and educators together to positively impact the way teachers communicate and how students learn about agriculture.”
Discovering Farmland,developed in partnership with Discovery Education, provides teachers with curriculum resources designed for students in grades 9-12. The website includes free downloadable tools: standards aligned lesson plans, virtual field trip, digital exploration, and 360 videos all with accompanying activities. These turnkey tools are designed to engage students as they explore modern agriculture in the classroom.
To date the Discovering Farmland program has reached more than one million students and 16,000 curriculums have been downloaded.
If you are an educator in the Greater Minneapolis area interested in participating on Aug. 29, click here to register. If you are an educator in the Greater Sacramento area interested in participating on Aug. 31, click here to register. Each attendee will receive a brand-new iPod touch and virtual reality headset. There is no cost for participation and the curriculum tools are free.
— Minnesota Soybean Research & Promotion Council and U.S. Farmers and Ranchers Alliance®
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