Official Newspaper of Eddy County since 1883
Official Newspaper of Eddy County since 1883
NATIONAL AG WEEK IS MARCH 10-18
In the world of education, STEM is a commonly known acronym for science, technology, engineering and math. In recent years, STEM-based curricula have made their way into classrooms, touting hands-on and experiential learning opportunities that engage young boys and girls in an array of innovative activities.
Now Farmers Union Enterprises is taking STEM curriculum to a new level. With the newly released curriculum called STEM: IT AG, Farmers Union Enterprises will be offering a learning opportunity that is focused on agriculture, food and natural resources for students in grades K-12.
“Talk about making science relevant – all students eat,” said Doug Sombke, president of Farmers Union Enterprises and South Dakota Farmers Union. “We are excited to share this curriculum which integrates STEM-based information into interactive units about agriculture and where food comes from with educators and students throughout the nation.”
The curriculum is a joint effort of five Farmers Union state organizations (Minnesota, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wisconsin), which comprise Farmers Union Enterprises, based in Redwood Falls, Minn. Farmers Union Enterprises partnered with the design group STEM Fuse to produce and distribute the curriculum.
“Collaborating with the Farmers Union Enterprises team, we designed the curriculum to easily integrate ag-based STEM education in any unit teachers are focusing on,” explained Carter Tatge, founder and CEO of STEM Fuse. “You don’t need a STEM background or an agriculture background to provide STEM:IT AG to students. In fact, the curriculum requires little guidance from educators.”
Miranda Letherman, North Dakota Farmers Union youth education specialist, said the curriculum also exposes students to potential careers, everything from computer coding and 3D printing to developing agricultural commodities. In one STEM:IT AG challenge, students create a tool that could be used to harvest a crop, while another challenge asks them to design a solar oven from a shoebox, tinfoil and black paper to heat up food using the sun’s energy.
“The hands-on challenges incorporate recycled materials and things you’d typically find in a classroom, so the activities aren’t costly,” Letherman said. She noted that some of the elements used in the 3D printing actually come from farm by-products. “All of us use engineering and design skills in our everyday lives without consciously knowing it. It’s good old-fashioned problem solving, and the curriculum works to hone those skills.”
Letherman said STEM exercises will be incorporated into North Dakota and many other states’ Farmers Union youth programming.
“There aren’t a lot of educational tools available right now for teachers to use in the classroom when it comes to ag education, food and the resources it takes to produce food,” said NDFU President Mark Watne. “The curriculum we’ve developed challenges students to learn through hands-on activities and problem solving.”
Intuitively designed to integrate seamlessly into existing K-12 curriculum and complement all topics, whether its STEM, social studies, history or language arts, the digital STEM:IT AG curriculum aligns with state and national standards and works across all platforms.
To learn more, contact Letherman at (701) 952-0166 or [email protected]. To order STEM:IT AG, visit http://www.stemfuse.com or call STEM Fuse’s National Sales Director Stephanie Spaan at (605) 521-9213.
