Time

1 hour

The amount of time will vary depending on the age group that is participating.

Materials

• “We Grow Corn! Raising Corn on a Kansas Family Farm” by Sharon Thielen, Ph.D.
  • Focus on pages 22-23 (10 Minutes)
• Videos to watch:
  • Field Trip! Careers in Agriculture – YouTube provided by into the Outdoors (24:34)
• Activity #1: Build a Farm (20-30 Minutes)
  • Bag of biodegradable packing peanuts
  • Wet paper towel or sponge
  • Piece of paper
    • Building supplies: small boxes, cans, popsicle sticks, crayons or markers, tape and glue
• Activity #2-Online Breakout Box Challenge
  • Electronic device to project challenge
• Activity #3-Farm to Plate
  • Food packages from today’s lunch
  • Grocery store ads
  • Paper, scissors, markers, glue
• Suggested Snack: Popcorn Balls

Book

If the students have already read the entire “We Grow Corn!” book, this unit will focus on pages 22-23. The world needs farmers because they are the reason we have food, fuel, clothes, and other products we use every day. Every year the number of people one farmer feeds increases, but being a farmer is not the only profession in agriculture. There are thousands of jobs in agriculture, many that people don’t realize are agriculture related.

Videos

If the students have already read the entire “We Grow Corn!” book, this unit will focus on pages 22-23. The world needs farmers because they are the reason we have food, fuel, clothes, and other products we use every day. Every year the number of people one farmer feeds increases, but being a farmer is not the only profession in agriculture. There are thousands of jobs in agriculture, many that people don’t realize are agriculture related.

Field Trip! Careers in Agriculture – YouTube provided by Into the Outdoors (24:34)

Activity #1- Build a Farm

The world needs farmers. Like farmers, people who work in agriculture are trying to make products that are safe and healthy. Scientists create products using corn to replace products made of plastic. An example is packing peanuts. Plastic packing peanuts do not break down when put in a land fill however biodegradable peanuts when added to water will disappear, a much safer product for our environment. And what is great, they are made from corn! Let’s see if these peanuts are biodegradable. Afterwards we are going to celebrate all that farmers do by building a farm.

Instructions

1. Open the bag of peanuts.
2. Place one peanut into a small cup of water and watch it dissolve.
3. Discuss the importance of developing biodegradable products.
4. Let’s build a farm! Take products such as small boxes, cans, newspaper, popsicle sticks, etc. and have students work together to construct a farm.
5. Use the remaining packing peanuts for the farm. Prepare a wet paper towel or sponge. Slightly wet part of the peanut. Place the peanut on the paper or another peanut and they will stick together. *Note if the peanut gets too wet it will dissolve.

Packing Peanut Building Ideas

Young students (preschool age) may find it easier to build their farm flat on the piece of paper. Older students should have success creating a three-dimensional farm. We would love to see what your students created by sharing on social media @kansascornstem.

Activity #2- Online Breakout Box Challenge

This challenge can be done as a large or small group. Each group will need an electronic device to access the online challenge. If done in a large group, project the challenge onto the screen and designate one person to enter in the guesses. The first time they do an online challenge it may seem difficult but the more challenges they complete the easier and more fun they will become.

Answer Key

We Grow Corn! – The World Needs Farmers!

• 123 Lock – 1,5,5
• Color Lock – Green, Yellow, Red, Blue
• ABC Lock- C,O,R,N

Activity #3- Farm to Plate

What role does corn play in our food? It is important for students to know where their food comes from. After completing this activity, students will be able to identify food that was made with corn.

Activity

• Read pages 16-19 aloud.
• Watch Farmer Bill’s “Farm to Plate” video.
• Talk about today’s lunch. What items in your lunch contained corn? How do you know?
• Encourage students to read the back of the packages.
• Review pages 18-19 to learn how dent corn is used to feed our livestock. Was anything in today’s lunch fed corn?
• Using grocery store ads, students cut out items that contain corn. Glue to paper and present to others.

Optional Online Breakout Box Challenge

If time allows there is an online challenge that goes with this activity.

Farm to Plate Answer Key

• 123 Lock – 1,8,6
• ABC Lock – C,H,I,P,S
• 123 Lock – 2,2

Out the Door

On the way out the door, have students tell you one thing they know is made of corn. Also encourage them to find items at home that contain corn.