Harvest Time and Pork Month Resources!
Happy Fall y'all! It is time to share our favorite harvest time and pork month resources. We have compiled a list of 10 great lessons and media ideas to implement into your classroom today. All ideas align well with the Iowa Core Standards and can be modified to fit the needs of your classroom.
October is National Pork Month, so let's start there! Iowa is the nation's leading pig state, pigs out number people 1 to 7! Wow that is a lot of pigs! Iowa's farmers understand animal care, how to protect the environment and provide a safe, nutrient-dense product to meet consumer demand.
Did you know one in ten working Iowans has a job tied to the pork industry? Family farms raising pigs in the local community help create jobs in trucking, at feed mills, butcher shops, veterinary medicine and more.
Through innovation, technology, new research and farmer-led changes, today’s pork is more sustainable than ever. Since the 1990s, U.S. pork production has increased by 80% while per-unit emissions have decreased by 20%.
Lean pork is part of a healthy diet. Pork is an excellent source of Thiamin, Niacin and Vitamin B6 which help regulate metabolism. It can also help strengthen bones, promote energy and help build red blood cells.
Just like us, pigs live in a climate-controlled home that are protected from predators and kept clean to prevent disease. Farmers check their pigs every day to make sure their feed is clean and provide individual care to animals.
Pig farmers are continuously improving their on-farm practices to enhance animal health and protect the environment. When compared to 1960, one pound of pork today uses 76% less land, 25% less water and 7% less energy.
Here are a few pork-tastic resources!
1.My Family's Pig Farm Book: Meet Caeden, an 8-year-old who lives on a pig farm. Learn how farmers take care of pigs through Caeden's eyes, as he takes you on a tour of his pig farm. https://www.yumpu.com/en/document/read/63054669/my-familys-pig-farm
2.Flat Aggie Adventures Pork Edition: Follow Flat Aggie's Adventure each month as he travels from barn to barn to learn all about pigs. Newsletter content is geared towards a 3rd-5th grade reading level. Flat Aggie Adventures | mysite (linncoag.com)
3.Pork lessons: All about Pigs (PreK and KG) and Build a Pig Home (3rd) October | mysite (linncoag.com)
4.Ohio Pig Field Trip
Let's move on to harvest time!
Iowa is a leading producer for corn and soybeans! Why do we grow so much grain? Well for one, we rank number one for pigs and eggs and livestock eat a mix of corn and soybeans along with other things that make up their complete feed ration. And second, corn and soybeans are used to make biofuels, biodegradable products and over 4000 other products! Wow! 4000? That is amazing!
Incorporate harvest into your curriculum with these high yielding activities!
5. How does a combine work? It's Harvest! Here's a quick, explanation of how it works!
6. Flat Aggie Adventures: Corn and Soybean Edition Flat Aggie Adventures | mysite (linncoag.com)
7. Iowa Corn Growers Fun For Kids activity sheets Fun for Kids | Iowa Corn
8. Iowa Corn trailer: Looking for an opportunity for your students to learn about all things corn? Want to give them a hands on experience? Or maybe you'd like to experience all things Iowa Corn for yourself? The Iowa Corn Promotion Board has designed and built a mobile educational unit looking to travel to your next event! Learn how corn is grown by farmers right here in Iowa. From the foods on your table to the gas in your car, the classroom on wheels is a fun, interactive experience for Iowans of all ages! Mobile Educational Trailers | Iowa Corn
9. Antique Tools and Modern Day Equivalents! Wow the combine is efficient!
10.Complete lesson plans for all ages! Dress up like a corn plant, my family's turkey farm, Little Red Hen Bakes a Cake, Antique Tools, etc! November | mysite (linncoag.com)
We hope you enjoyed these free resources! Let us know how you incorporate agriculture into your classroom this fall!
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