Meet the bean: soybeans are everywhere!

What is a soybean?
Why are soybeans such a valuable crop? Here are some activities that are perfect for agriculture days, county fairs, after-school programming or summer camps! Recipes for soy plastic and soy lip balm are included as well as craft ideas: Soybean Stress Balls, Bean Buddies and an Ohio Drum. Germinate a soybean in a seed necklace. Observe a variety of beans, use a seed sorting map and create a graph. See teacher background →

Lessons

# Soybeans are everywhere!

Look at the drawing—can you find all the soybean products? Learn about the different products that contain soybeans by using the slide deck.

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# Fun and games with soybeans

Activity instructions for germinating a Soybean Seed Necklace and making crafts like a Beanie Buddy, Soybean Stress Balls and an Ohio Drum, in addition to recipes for making lip balm and plastic with easy supplies and instructions.

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# Seed sort

Did you know that beans are seeds? Seeds grow into plants that produce the beans that we eat. Observe, and sort these beans then create a graph. Designed for younger students.

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Teacher background

Soybeans are very valuable, not just as food containing many essential nutrients, but also economically. Soybeans are the second-most-planted field crop in the United States after corn. The United States is the world’s largest producer and exporter of soybeans. Ohio is the nation’s seventh largest soybean producing state.

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Next gen science standards

Science and engineering practices

  • Obtaining, evaluating, and communicating information

Disciplinary core ideas/content

  • ETS2B Influence of engineering, technology and science on society and the natural world