CAFNR Organizations Provide Hands-on Learning Experiences for Visiting Children

Olivia Wyatt, Corner Post Special Contributor

Sept. 30, 2002 - Fourth-graders from around the state gathered for an agricultural learning experience Monday in the Trowbridge Livestock Arena.

The Educational Extravaganza was part of Ag Week 2002. College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources organizations set up stations that the classes took turns visiting in 30-minute intervals. Each booth taught the children about something related to agriculture:

— Ag Systems Management club sponsored a lawn mower     safety booth that gave children the opportunity to drive a     lawn mower after listening to proper safety tips.

— Sigma Alpha let students ride pedal tractor pulls, which     were weighed down by two 12-packs of Coke. The kids     cheered their classmates on as each struggled to pedal.

— Two clubs teamed up to run a petting zoo with sheep, goats,     pigs and a horse. Block and Bridle provided most of the     animals and the information about the animals, and     Collegiate Horseman's Association brought the horse. The     children also got to hop on a saddle that was sitting on a     hay bale.

— The Department of Soil and Atmospheric Sciences set up     two experiments so the groups could learn about the charge     of soil. The tests proved that the clay in the soil was     negatively charged. The demonstrations also helped the     children understand why certain things, such as     phosphorous and potassium, are found more frequently in     the soil due to their positive charge.

— The Fisheries and Wildlife station featured crayfish     swimming backward in a baby pool. The kids learned what     crayfish eat to survive and which species depend on them     for survival. The children also caught some of the crayfish.     Some used nets, while others daringly used their hands.

— The Wildlife Society booth displayed various kinds of fur     and skulls. The kids huddled around the table as they     learned about the differences and similarities between the     animals.

— Agronomy Club taught the students about soybeans and     then helped them make a tiger mosaic with corn and beans.

— On a platform above the arena, the Agricultural     Communicators of Tomorrow let the children take their first     stab at broadcasting. The lights shined brightly on two     fourth-graders at a time as they said their names, grades,     schools and what they had learned that day in front of the     camera.