Curriculum
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Managing nutrient and pesticide needs in agriculture
Why do farmers spend time and money to apply chemicals to their fields? In this threaded PBL*, (an effort to integrate agricultural understandings into the normal sequence of an Environmental Science classroom) students will conduct several “close reads” (reading for …
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Hula hoop math: yield prediction
Can we predict the yield of a crop and forecast food production? Use hula hoops and math to predict how many bushels of soybeans are growing in a particular field. This fun activity was tested with 500 6th graders from Newark City Schools at the Devine Farms in …
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Animal agriculture: engineer an egg catcher
How do engineers solve problems in agriculture? It takes 30 million eggs a day to satisfy the US consumer! Ohio is #2 in the nation in egg production and ag engineers have helped to design facilities that keep chickens safe from predators and …
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Where does our food come from, anyway? Sustainable ag systems
How do growers’ decisions affect the sustainability of agricultural systems? Understand and appreciate food producers through this case study and determine what decisions must be made on a yearly, monthly, or daily basis to maintain an environmental system that will continue …
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Moving genes: intro to genetic engineering
How do we solve the problems created by 9 billion people? How will we feed 9 billion on about the same amount of land? An introduction to genetic engineering through hands-on and modeling activities that illustrate concepts, which will scaffold student understanding for lab activities to follow, especially focused on …
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Maintaining our yield: assessing biotic and abiotic factors
How do biotic and abiotic factors affect populations? Create experiments to test how abiotic factors impact soybean germination, go into the field and laboratory to determine the impact of aphid populations on soybeans, and experiment with aphid …
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Here, fishy fishy: aquaculture systems
How does soymeal feed compare to fishmeal feed when raising Tilapia in an aquaculture system? Take on multiple roles within an aquaculture farm including set-up and maintenance of tanks, test water quality, investigate possible feed sources and monitor fish health and growth.
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Can you taste the difference? Food science in action
Can you discriminate the difference in taste between two products? When a food company is offering a new product, changing ingredients, or researching potential products, it is important for the company to know what the consumer reaction is likely to be of the …
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Biochar: producing bioenergy from waste
How can a waste stream become part of a cyclical system? Make biochar, a soil amendment, by making and using a model top light updraft (TLUD) pyrolysis kiln or oven.
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Are you sterile? Using sterile technique to tissue culture plants
How do sterilization techniques affect our ability to preserve and culture organisms? In vitro collecting (IVC) is the process of starting plant tissue cultures with minimal disturbance to the plants when viable seeds are not available. Become the field researcher and learn how to …
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Soybeans as a chemical feedstock
Can agriculture provide greener, more sustainable products? Soybeans contain several components which innovators and entrepreneurs find valuable when creating greener products. What are the chemical building blocks in a soybean?
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Plant inhibition
Why do some plants grow and some do not? Participate in a simulation that shows how various factors influence plant growth and what role probability plays. Powerpoint with instructions and information included.