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Using
Pizza
to Teach About Agriculture
Pizza is
something all kids know about from the consumer perspective.
So, educational materials based on pizza are instant attention
grabbers. The following state Farm Bureaus and other individuals
and organizations are using pizza to deliver information about
today's agriculture:
California
The Pizza Farm agricultural awareness program teaches pre-K through
6th grade students about how farmers grow all the ingredients
needed to make a pizza. Created by agri-businessman Darren Schmall,
the Pizza Farm program provides information about topics such
as pizza ingredients, food safety, integrated pest management,
water conservation, nutrition and career opportunities. Students
are given a guided tour of the Pizza Farm, which is circular
just like a pizza and is divided into eight pie-shaped slices
that grow individual ingredients such as tomatoes and wheat.
For more
information, contact: The Pizza Farm, c/o Darren Schmall, 27877
Avenue 8, Madera, CA 96367
Phone: 209/674-2391
Web: www.pizzafarm.org
Illinois
The Pizza Ag Mag, an agricultural magazine for kids, has been
developed by Illinois Farm Bureau. It has information such as
how to make a pizza, how cheese is made, how wheat is milled,
math lessons, a word puzzle, related career information and an
experiment with yeast. Illinois Farm Bureau also has created
a handout on how to make a 23-inch wide GIANT PIZZA (made from
cloth/pipecleaners/etc.) and how to use it to discuss the farm
source of pizza ingredients. A "Farm Sources of Pizza"
presentation guide is available as an aide to county Farm Bureau
presentations using the GIANT PIZZA replica or the Pizza Ag Mag.
For more
information or sample copies, contact Kevin Daugherty at 309-557-3676
or by e-mail at kdaugherty@ilfb.org.
Indiana
Indiana Farm Bureau has produced the award-winning "Exploring
Planet Pizza", an entertaining video that keeps students'
attention while teaching them that farms are the source of one
of their favorite foods. The video is not specific to Indiana
and is available to other states for $25, including a Teacher's
Guide.
For more
information or to order a copy, contact Carol Hegel at chegel@farmbureau.com.
Iowa
Iowa Farm Bureau partners with Iowa State University on the Pizz-A-Thon
program designed by Eldon Weber, outreach coordinator for Iowa
State's Department of Agricultural Education and Studies. The
Pizz-A-Thon engages teams of middle and high school students
in creating and designing their own pizza. Each team determines
ingredients, then prepares and delivers a marketing portfolio
to sell their pizza to a local company. Local competitions are
held to choose teams to compete at a statewide Pizz-A-Thon held
on the Iowa State campus. The program goal is to give young people
a hands-on educational experience in the field of agriculture.
For more
information, contact Eldon Weber at Iowa State, 515-294-0893
or by e-mail at eweber@iastate.edu.
Kansas
Kansas Farm Bureau has produced a handout on "Grow Your
Own Pizza Sauce!" with directions for creating a window
box containing tomato, basil, oregano, and bell pepper plants
along with garlic and onion. The educational piece has facts
on which pizza ingredients are grown in Kansas.
For more
information, contact Holly Higgins (hrhiggins@kfb.com).
Kentucky
Kentucky Farm Bureau created a 6-foot wooden pizza puzzle as
a State Fair display. Children can put the puzzle together and
receive a sticker plus a handout with information on how to make
a pizza and how pizza ingredients relate to the Food Guide Pyramid.
For more
information, contact Faye Lowe at 502-495-5000 or flowe@kyfb.com.
North
Dakota
North Dakota Farm Bureau created "Special Assignment: Pizza"
as a unit for 4th grade students. Through a story about the Curious
Kids Club, students discover the products used in make pizza
can be grown on North Dakota farms. Related student activities
are included with the story.
For more
information, contact Arlene Peterson at 701-298-2222 or by e-mail
at petefb@juno.com.
SLICE:
Student Lessons in Consumer Education
A classroom kit for K-6 grade students produced by the National
Farm-City Council uses the concept of pizza to teach math, science,
and language arts while also helping students understand the
interdependence of farm and city residents. The kits include
a Teacher's Guide, reproducible activity sheets, and bulletin
board materials. They may be ordered for $3.00 each by contacting
the American Farm Bureau Foundation for Agriculture at 847-685-8663
or by e-mail at marys@fb.com.
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Seeds
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A
Biannual Newsletter on Agriculture in the Classroom |
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