Filter resource results by:
Kareero
Kareero is a one-of-a-kind interactive interest assessment tool. Through the in-app development of a school gardening program, Kareero tracks your choices and actions to reveal your interest areas. Used in conjunction with Agriculture in the Classroom Canada’s thinkAG website, Kareero helps you explore careers that match your interests.
Real Farm Lives: Turnips, Carrots and Potatoes
Drawing from CropLife’s Real Farm Lives videos, which follows the McKennas, a multigenerational Prince Edward Island farm family, these interactive and engaging resources on carrots, turnips and potatoes aim to help Grade 10 and 11 students explore the value of Canada’s agriculture and food system. The resource includes a lesson plan on each of the featured vegetables, including a presentation and recipe.
#MyFoodChoice
The #MyFoodChoice resource is an inquiry based resource where students will lead their own research, to answer the question of "How can I make informed food choices?" Through the five lessons students will develop critical thinking skills by utilizing interactive student sheets, engaging videos, and more.
8 Dimensions of Wellness
What is Wellness? What does Wellness mean to you? Why is it important to learn about health? How do we practice wellness everyday in our lives? Wellness is an active effort a person makes to work towards reaching the best state of well-being and health possible for themselves. Wellness incorporates many different elements of well-being that are all connected. Read "8 Dimensions of Wellness" to learn more.
A Wetland Adventure
A fun experience is going on a wetland field trip and learning about wetland ecosystems by studying life in a local pond, slough, marsh, fen or bog. These areas are often found on a local farm, and farmers must avoid these areas for protection of the wetland, and also because it is too difficult to use them for agricultural purposes. Through your classroom studies, and studies in the field, you will learn about organisms that live in, on and around wetlands and about adaptations that suit pond organisms to their environment. Through observation and research, you will also learn about the interactions among wetland organisms and about the role of each organism as part of a food web. The role of human action in affecting wetland habitats and populations is also something you will study.
Ag Bites: Preserves
Preserving refers to the different ways you can keep your food from spoiling! Canning is one such method. The canning process is when you place food in a jar and then heat it at high temperatures until it becomes airtight and any undesirable bacteria or micro-organisms are killed. Learn how you can make apple compote and pickles through the canning preserving method!
AgTech
The Nourishing Minds publication series has been developed as an educational tool for youth, educators, parents and anyone who wishes to learn more about agriculture and food systems. These magazines offer young people the chance to engage about a wide variety of topics such as food security, nutrition, climate change and sustainability and learn how they can take action. This issue we chose to explore agricultural technology because it will help us reach new levels of efficiency. These innovations make it possible to grow and raise enough food for an increasing population, achieve sustainability, and save farmers time and money during production.
Agriculture Flipbooks
Flip, flip, flip – students can colour, cut, and staple these booklets, then flip them and watch them become magically animated! Watch the bean sprout and grow, see how potatoes grow, or watch how soil is formed.
Agriculture and the Environment Soil
Soil is the foundation for all life and every farm needs good, fertile soil to produce healthy crops. While soil only covers 10% of our Earth’s surface, most people don’t realize how important to life it is. Soil is a living, breathing world that supports all life on earth. Healthy soil is made up from approximately 45% minerals (clay, silt and sand), 25% air, 25% water and 5% organic matter (decomposing animals and plants). All of these ingredients, together with climate, affect the soil composition and how well the soil produces.
Agriculture and the Environment Water
Over two-thirds of the Earth’s surface is covered by water. The human body is 75 per cent water. Water is one of the most vital resources for life on Earth. Farmers have a vital role in protecting water quality. As with any resource, pollution can be a major problem. Water pollution is no different. There are many different types and sources of pollutants. When rain or melted snow move over the ground, they pick up and carry away pollutants, which end up in waterways. Agriculture works to prevent this with conservation techniques. But even with preventative measures, water can still become polluted. So, it is important for farmers to do water quality tests. It is also important to understand the importance of water filtration. Filtration is the use of a physical barrier or a chemical and/or biological process that removes the impurities from the water. Just as many people use filtration systems in their homes for their drinking water, farmers use filters to remove pathogens that can cause viruses and sediment that can damage irrigation systems, plants or animals. Your local municipal water treatment plants use filters to remove dissolved particles like dust, parasites, bacteria, viruses and chemicals.
Agriculture e-Learning Labs
These interactive, online learning labs cover a variety of topics, including: Environment, Food, Food Waste, Technology and Innovation, Careers and more! Have fun exploring these agriculture and food-related topics.
Alberta Safe Tractor Operation and Hitching Guide (Instructor Manual)
This manual has been developed to assist Instructors to teach young operators, aged 14 years and up, the\ knowledge and skills necessary to operate agricultural tractors and implements properly and safely in Alberta. It has been developed to utilize the Alberta Safe Tractor Operation and Hitching Guide, Student Manual, as a primary resource. The Instructor knowledge, as well as tractor and implement operator manuals are the other primary resources. Operator manuals are very important, as they provide very specific information on the tractors and implements. Supplemental information could include other written documents, demonstrations, safety videos, and guest speakers. The experience and skills obtained from this course do not provide a specific certification. After completion of the course, the young operator is expected to be supervised by a competent person. This training manual includes checklists to document the knowledge and skills of the youth. The documentation will be an important resource to assist the supervisor to provide informed decisions regarding the assignment of appropriate tractors and implements, the appropriate tasks, and the level of on-going supervision.
Alberta Safe Tractor Operation and Hitching Guide (Student Manual)
This Alberta Safe Tractor Operation and Hitching Guide (the Guide) is primarily written to introduce Alberta youth to the operation of tractors for agricultural purposes. It will also be useful for other new tractor operators providing they understand that it is focused on educating youth. The Guide does not provide enough information to fully train or authorize anyone to be a competent tractor operator. Resources such as Tractor and Implement Operator’s Manuals, the training, supervision, and oversight of a competent person, and any applicable regulations would be useful. Also, formal tractor training following applicable standards that includes actual hands-on operation, oversight, and supervision by a competent person would be necessary.
Before the Plate
Before the Plate is a documentary that attempts to close the gap between the urban consumer and farming in Canada. Follow young farmers and industry experts to learn what a modern Canadian farm operation looks like, and discuss the most pressing questions consumers have about their food. Be sure to check out the comprehensive, curriculum-linked Student Guide we have created to supplement the viewing of this documentary.
Biomass Lesson Plan and Experiment
Biomass is the only renewable source of carbon and includes agriculture resources such as wood, straw, manure, and food waste. These resources can be converted into many useful materials like fuel, heat, electricity, and chemicals. Check out this lesson plan for a fun science experiment and to learn more about biomass and its connection to the environment and economy.
Blossom's Big Job
Read this storybook and get to know Blossom, a busy honey bee who is on a mission to pollinate her flowers until they mature into fruit. Learn about the role bees play in environment, including collecting nectar for their hive and pollinating flowers.
CAP Apple - Taking care of our soil
Why is it important for us to take care of the Earth's soil? Soil is vital for farmers to grow food, but only a tiny fraction of the Earth's surface has productive land. Taking care of our soil is key to feeding everyone on our planet!
Cattle
Farms are home to many types of animals—just ask Old MacDonald! Each book in this special publication series features a different farm animal. From the animal's history, to their diet and their weirdest and most wonderful traits. our goal with this series is to entertain young minds while they learn all about their favourite farmyard friends.
Celebrate Farming & Ranching
Create a collage to celebrate farming and ranching in Alberta! The great thing about creating a collage is there are NO RULES! It’s all about using what you have to create something new. You can create a simple splash of images on the page, or arrange your collage to make a farm or ranch scene. It’s up to you!
Celebrating Liberation with a Promise
In this resource, students will have the opportunity to explore, observe and examine tulip bulbs. Lessons include planting bulbs, learning about the history of tulip farmers in the Netherlands, collecting data and studying the plant's growth cycle.
Challenging Conditions
Challenging Conditions - Exploring the Lives of Subsistence Farmers in the Developing World is an activity that invites students to explore what life is like for subsistence farmers in the developing world by introducing them to a character and various aspects of his/her life. The activity emphasizes quality of life and the effects of issues such as hunger, health, conflict, gender dynamics, environment and climate change. Related media: Program puts students in shoes of subsistence farmers (The Western Producer) The complete kit contains a teacher guide and all materials needed. Download the kit in French and English.
Cowboy Poetry Fun Festival
Cowboy poetry is distinctive both in its culturally specific subject matter and its traditional use of rhyme and meter. While the range of emotional landscapes explored in cowboy poetry are the traditional province of poetry—from joy to grief, from humour to spirituality—the particulars derive from the American West: horses, cattle, fire, prairie storms, mythic figures of cowboys and ranchers, and the sublime wilderness.
Create-a-Plant
In this activity, students are invited to view a selection of seeds, then use their imaginations to guess what the future plant will look like. They are encouraged to choose a name for their plant and brainstorm the features that make this plant special. The worksheet offers places for the students to either illustrate their ideas, or write descriptions, depending on their interest and abilities.
Cultivate Your Career
As you look to the future, you may want to start preparing for the countless exciting pathways that lie ahead. There are many careers available to you as you plan for your future, including jobs that didn’t even exist ten years ago! It’s a dynamic and changing world, but the agriculture and agri-food industry have been adapting alongside a technology-driven and globalizing world. Have you ever thought of a career in ag? Agriculture is an essential part of the world around us, whether you’re stewarding the land, educating consumers, or feeding the world. It’s a diverse and welcoming field full of opportunity. What you know about agriculture may only scratch the surface, when many more opportunities await, so we invite you to dig deeper and explore this amazing industry! Align your values, investigate your options, find post-secondary programs, and prepare to apply and fund your adventure.
Edible Garden: Flower Bulbs to Plant in Autumn
Ag for Life is proud to support school garden programs. Check out our garden-related resources for garden lesson ideas, a guide to starting your school garden, student journals and more! For more gardening tips and tricks, follow our Alberta School Garden Group on Facebook.
Edible Garden: Growing Beans
Ag for Life is proud to support school garden programs. Check out our garden-related resources for garden lesson ideas, a guide to starting your school garden, student journals and more! For more gardening tips and tricks, follow our Alberta School Garden Group on Facebook.
Edible Garden: Growing Garlic
Ag for Life is proud to support school garden programs. Check out our garden-related resources for garden lesson ideas, a guide to starting your school garden, student journals and more! For more gardening tips and tricks, follow our Alberta School Garden Group on Facebook.
Edible Garden: Growing Onions
Ag for Life is proud to support school garden programs. Check out our garden-related resources for garden lesson ideas, a guide to starting your school garden, student journals and more! For more gardening tips and tricks, follow our Alberta School Garden Group on Facebook.
Edible Garden: Growing Tomatoes
Ag for Life is proud to support school garden programs. Check out our garden-related resources for garden lesson ideas, a guide to starting your school garden, student journals and more! For more gardening tips and tricks, follow our Alberta School Garden Group on Facebook.
Edible Garden: How to Attract Beneficial Insects
Ag for Life is proud to support school garden programs. Check out our garden-related resources for garden lesson ideas, a guide to starting your school garden, student journals and more! For more gardening tips and tricks, follow our Alberta School Garden Group on Facebook.
Edible Garden: How to Clean Up in the Fall
Ag for Life is proud to support school garden programs. Check out our garden-related resources for garden lesson ideas, a guide to starting your school garden, student journals and more! For more gardening tips and tricks, follow our Alberta School Garden Group on Facebook.
Edible Garden: How to Deal with Cutworms
Ag for Life is proud to support school garden programs. Check out our garden-related resources for garden lesson ideas, a guide to starting your school garden, student journals and more! For more gardening tips and tricks, follow our Alberta School Garden Group on Facebook.
Edible Garden: How to Deal with Heat and Drought
Ag for Life is proud to support school garden programs. Check out our garden-related resources for garden lesson ideas, a guide to starting your school garden, student journals and more! For more gardening tips and tricks, follow our Alberta School Garden Group on Facebook.
Edible Garden: How to Deal with Powdery Mildew
Ag for Life is proud to support school garden programs. Check out our garden-related resources for garden lesson ideas, a guide to starting your school garden, student journals and more! For more gardening tips and tricks, follow our Alberta School Garden Group on Facebook.
Edible Garden: How to Deal with Slugs
Ag for Life is proud to support school garden programs. Check out our garden-related resources for garden lesson ideas, a guide to starting your school garden, student journals and more! For more gardening tips and tricks, follow our Alberta School Garden Group on Facebook.
Edible Garden: How to Deter Cats and Dogs
Ag for Life is proud to support school garden programs. Check out our garden-related resources for garden lesson ideas, a guide to starting your school garden, student journals and more! For more gardening tips and tricks, follow our Alberta School Garden Group on Facebook.
Edible Garden: How to Deter Deer
Ag for Life is proud to support school garden programs. Check out our garden-related resources for garden lesson ideas, a guide to starting your school garden, student journals and more! For more gardening tips and tricks, follow our Alberta School Garden Group on Facebook.
Edible Garden: How to Deter Rabbits
Ag for Life is proud to support school garden programs. Check out our garden-related resources for garden lesson ideas, a guide to starting your school garden, student journals and more! For more gardening tips and tricks, follow our Alberta School Garden Group on Facebook.
Edible Garden: How to Deter Voles and Mice
Ag for Life is proud to support school garden programs. Check out our garden-related resources for garden lesson ideas, a guide to starting your school garden, student journals and more! For more gardening tips and tricks, follow our Alberta School Garden Group on Facebook.
Edible Garden: How to Fertilize
Ag for Life is proud to support school garden programs. Check out our garden-related resources for garden lesson ideas, a guide to starting your school garden, student journals and more! For more gardening tips and tricks, follow our Alberta School Garden Group on Facebook.
Edible Garden: How to Grow in Containers
Ag for Life is proud to support school garden programs. Check out our garden-related resources for garden lesson ideas, a guide to starting your school garden, student journals and more! For more gardening tips and tricks, follow our Alberta School Garden Group on Facebook.
Edible Garden: How to Harvest Root and Tuber Vegetables
Ag for Life is proud to support school garden programs. Check out our garden-related resources for garden lesson ideas, a guide to starting your school garden, student journals and more! For more gardening tips and tricks, follow our Alberta School Garden Group on Facebook.
Edible Garden: How to Harvest Small Fruit
Ag for Life is proud to support school garden programs. Check out our garden-related resources for garden lesson ideas, a guide to starting your school garden, student journals and more! For more gardening tips and tricks, follow our Alberta School Garden Group on Facebook.
Edible Garden: How to Harvest Tree Fruit
Ag for Life is proud to support school garden programs. Check out our garden-related resources for garden lesson ideas, a guide to starting your school garden, student journals and more! For more gardening tips and tricks, follow our Alberta School Garden Group on Facebook.
Edible Garden: How to Make Compost
Ag for Life is proud to support school garden programs. Check out our garden-related resources for garden lesson ideas, a guide to starting your school garden, student journals and more! For more gardening tips and tricks, follow our Alberta School Garden Group on Facebook.
Edible Garden: How to Protect from Early Frost
Ag for Life is proud to support school garden programs. Check out our garden-related resources for garden lesson ideas, a guide to starting your school garden, student journals and more! For more gardening tips and tricks, follow our Alberta School Garden Group on Facebook.
Edible Garden: How to Protect from Hail Damage
Ag for Life is proud to support school garden programs. Check out our garden-related resources for garden lesson ideas, a guide to starting your school garden, student journals and more! For more gardening tips and tricks, follow our Alberta School Garden Group on Facebook.
Edible Garden: How to Transplant Seedlings
Ag for Life is proud to support school garden programs. Check out our garden-related resources for garden lesson ideas, a guide to starting your school garden, student journals and more! For more gardening tips and tricks, follow our Alberta School Garden Group on Facebook.
Edible Garden: How to Water
Ag for Life is proud to support school garden programs. Check out our garden-related resources for garden lesson ideas, a guide to starting your school garden, student journals and more! For more gardening tips and tricks, follow our Alberta School Garden Group on Facebook.
Edible Garden: How to Weed
Ag for Life is proud to support school garden programs. Check out our garden-related resources for garden lesson ideas, a guide to starting your school garden, student journals and more! For more gardening tips and tricks, follow our Alberta School Garden Group on Facebook.
Edible Garden: Saving Seeds
Ag for Life is proud to support school garden programs. Check out our garden-related resources for garden lesson ideas, a guide to starting your school garden, student journals and more! For more gardening tips and tricks, follow our Alberta School Garden Group on Facebook.
Edible Garden: When to Harvest Cool-Season Vegetables
Ag for Life is proud to support school garden programs. Check out our garden-related resources for garden lesson ideas, a guide to starting your school garden, student journals and more! For more gardening tips and tricks, follow our Alberta School Garden Group on Facebook.
Edible Garden: When to Harvest Small Fruit
Ag for Life is proud to support school garden programs. Check out our garden-related resources for garden lesson ideas, a guide to starting your school garden, student journals and more! For more gardening tips and tricks, follow our Alberta School Garden Group on Facebook.
Edible Garden: When to Harvest Vegetables
Ag for Life is proud to support school garden programs. Check out our garden-related resources for garden lesson ideas, a guide to starting your school garden, student journals and more! For more gardening tips and tricks, follow our Alberta School Garden Group on Facebook.
Edible Garden: When to Harvest Warm-Season Vegetables
Ag for Life is proud to support school garden programs. Check out our garden-related resources for garden lesson ideas, a guide to starting your school garden, student journals and more! For more gardening tips and tricks, follow our Alberta School Garden Group on Facebook.
End Food Waste
Have you ever thrown out an apple because it was bruised or scraped your leftovers from dinner into the trash? When food is thrown away instead of eaten it is called food waste. Food waste is a BIG problem facing our world today. Learn more about food waste with this hands-on activity book.
Fall Ag-tivity Book
Calling all little explorers! Get ready for a fantastic autumn adventure with our Fall Activity Book specially designed for young nature enthusiasts. Inside, you'll find a world of farm-fresh fun, colourful puzzles, and simple yet delicious recipes that even the tiniest hands can help create.
Fall Sprout 2021
Sprout is a hands-on learning magazine for young farmers designed to educate and entertain. Whether you live in the country or the city, get ready for some farm and food fun! Designed for pre-teens, Sprout features farm stories, puzzles, animals, crafts, recipes, food facts, science experiments and more.
Fall Sprout 2022
Sprout is a hands-on learning magazine for young farmers designed to educate and entertain. Whether you live in the country or the city, get ready for some farm and food fun! Designed for pre-teens, Sprout features farm stories, puzzles, animals, crafts, recipes, food facts, science experiments and more.
Farm Monster Activity Book
Have you ever seen a monster living on a farm? What did it look like? What did it eat? What does it do all day and where does it sleep? This Farm Monsters Activity Book lets your students draw, colour, and use their imaginations as they create their very own monster farm. Kiddos will have the opportunity to practice basic skills, such as reading, counting, and fostering creativity while developing a love for the farm.
Farm Safety Walkabout
Farm Safety Walkabout will be helpful for farm families and new worker/employer situations. It is written in general terms so you can apply it to your specific family and farm setting. The RATIONALE section at the top of each page will give parents and/or employers’ important information or reasons for the activities and questions. 1. Gather your family or new employees together when there is plenty of time to complete this activity. Allow approximately one and a half to two hours. 2. The walkabout will start in your home and then take you outside to several areas of concern: the farm yard, farm buildings, and farm machinery. 3. As you complete the walkabout in each of these areas fill in the CHECKLIST in the guidebook. 4. Next complete the ACTIVITIES and SAFETY DISCUSSIONS. These will get the whole family involved.
Farm to Table
Farm to Table - Students explore the basic steps involved in planting, growing and harvesting a plant commodity or in raising, growing and finishing an animal commodity in Alberta, and identify how the finished product is incorporated into a recipe.
FarmFood360° in the Classroom
Tour a farm or processing facility from the comfort of your couch! FarmFood360° is a series of virtual farm and processing facility tours throughout Canada. Students can test their knowledge at the end of each tour.
Feed Your Future
As you look to the future, you may want to start preparing for the countless exciting pathways that lie ahead. There are many careers available to you as you plan for your future, including jobs that didn’t even exist ten years ago! It’s a dynamic and changing world, but the agriculture and agri-food industry have been adapting alongside a technology-driven and globalizing world. Have you ever thought of a STEM career in ag? Agriculture is an essential part of the world around us, whether you’re stewarding the land, educating consumers, or feeding the world. It’s a diverse and welcoming field full of opportunity. What you know about agriculture may only scratch the surface, when many more opportunities await, so we invite you to dig deeper and explore this amazing industry! Investigate your options, find post-secondary programs, build your resume, and get hired.
Feeding Canada: Exploring Our Food System (Alberta)
This teaching resource featuring Canadian farmers, veterinarians, and researchers provides grades 7–12 classes with a fun and helpful overview of the Canadian food cycle in six videos. Students apply their learning and reflect on how their food is produced.
Feeding the World & Protecting the Environment
Learn all about fertilizer's important role in crop production! Through case studies and labs, students will then explore the relationship between fertilizers, the environment, and federal regulations, such as the Clean Water Act.
Fertilizer 101
Every plant needs nutrients to grow, from corn in Ontario, to peaches in British Columbia, to potatoes in Prince Edward Island, and canola in Saskatchewan. In this lesson students will learn about three important nutrients: nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium.
Fields of Home StoryScape
Fields of Home is a StoryScapes mini-unit based on an adaptation of the Storyline strategy. Storyline is a teaching method that encourages students to build and explore understandings and deepen their appreciation and knowledge of topics or concepts.
Food Loss and Waste
The Nourishing Minds publication series has been developed as an educational tool for youth, educators, parents and anyone who wishes to learn more about agriculture and food systems. These magazines offer young people the chance to engage about a wide variety of topics such as food security, nutrition, climate change and sustainability and learn how they can take action. In our third issue of Nourishing Minds, we chose to explore food loss and waste because it is recognized as a serious threat to food security, the economy and the environment. We want to see a world where businesses, governments and individuals come together to maintain a strong sustainable food value chain.
From Farm to Food Cookbook
From Farm to Food is a cookbook that CropLife Canada and Canadian dieticians created to travel through each season with comforting recipes, all while learning about agriculture in Canada.
Get the Dirt on Soil
Check out this book for discovery into the subject of soil science. Explore topics like the properties of soil, nutrients, and soil testing through puzzles, quizzes, and more! Also, get to know an agriculture engineer by reading an exclusive interview.
Goats
Farms are home to many types of animals—just ask Old MacDonald! Each book in this special publication series features a different farm animal. From the animal's history, to their diet and their weirdest and most wonderful traits, our goal with this series is to entertain young minds while they learn all about their favourite farmyard friends.
Gratitude Journal
Get ready to kick off a new year! This journal was created as a space to get your ideas down on paper, to dream, goal set, and get creative! In this journal each month, you will be invited to set an intention. You will then write out three goals and clearly outline how you can move towards achieving your goals. Each month you can check in with the progress of your goals. Are you moving closer towards them? Does something need to change in order to reach your goals? This journal is intended to be a space for you to get clear on what is important to YOU! To support you in your growth game!
Grow With Agriculture (Classroom Agriculture Program)
In this Classroom Agriculture Program (CAP) video, you'll join Emily and Nigel as they explore the ins and outs of agriculture from farm to fork. It's an adventure you won't soon forget!
Guardians of the Grasslands
Guardians of the Grasslands is a short documentary that explores the current state of one of the world’s most endangered ecosystems - the grasslands in the Great Plains - and the role that cattle play in its survival. As we reach new critical levels in the loss of these iconic landscapes, there are important truths we must face about humanity’s relationship with the land and our food.
Harvest Poetry Tea Time
Harvest Season! What food will inspire student poetry ideas? Take advantage of a great time of year to introduce poetry and have a Tea Party! This assignment introduces 3 types of poems (Couplet, Limerick and Free Verse) that have Harvest Food as a theme. Assignment criteria for each type of poem, as well as the 6 figures of speech to include (metaphor, personification, synecdoche, onomatopoeia, hyperbole, and alliteration), are expanded upon in the Student Assignment. In order to explore student poems together, culminating with a Poetry Teatime, provides the opportunity in a relaxed setting to share some completed Harvest Food poems and special harvest time treats.
Hay Crop Challenges
Students will be challenged with a problem-based scenario to design a hay storage facility. They will complete calculations to determine the design criteria, and apply concepts of perimeter, area, and volume as they complete a grid drawing of their plan.
Healthy Kids Quest
A healthy, balanced lifestyle is particularly important for children, since habits established in childhood often stay with us for life. Take on the Healthy Kids Quest to encourage and empower your students to make healthy lifestyle choices. There are six modules, each with a different theme. All themes include an introductory lesson plan, a theme-specific challenge, one or more follow-up activities, and an information sheet for parents.
Horses
Farms are home to many types of animals—just ask Old MacDonald! Each book in this special publication series features a different farm animal. From the animal's history, to their diet and their weirdest and most wonderful traits, our goal with this series is to entertain young minds while they learn all about their favourite farmyard friends.
How Does Your Garden Grow?
Engage students in growing plants! Students will plant seeds in water gel crystals to enhance their ability to observe the growth of roots, stems, and leaves over several days. Then, explore how plants are grown in hydroponic systems.
International Year of the Pulses
This series of lessons will introduce topics such as the role pulses can have in maintaining a balanced diet, the idea of pulses as edible parts of a plant, how to prepare a balanced meal with pulses, the benefits of growing pulses, learning about pulses around the world, and food security.
Introduction to Pulses
Pulses are the group of crops that includes dry beans, dry peas, chickpeas, and lentils. As a steady source of nutrition and soil sustainability, pulse crops play a major role in our global food security, a role which will only grow in the future. The following worksheets, created by Manitoba Pulse and Soybean Growers and Agriculture in the Classroom & MB, focus on the role that pulses play in advancing health and nutrition, food security and environmental sustainability.
Journey & Farmers 2050
Using either Journey 2050 or Farmers 2050 virtual applications, interactive activities, and hands-on lessons, students will explore important concepts, such as sustainable agriculture and how we are going to feed a growing world in the future.
Keeping the Great Lakes Great
The Great Lakes offer many important contributions to Canada's society, including: economic, environmental, and social benefits. Learn more about these through the research, case studies, trivia, and hands on activities provided in this resource.
Lunch Bag Challenge
In Canada, it’s common to find a grocery store, convenience store, or even a farmers-market in your area. How often have you visited with your family, pushed a cart around, and seen the variety of available food on the shelves. Maybe you’ve helped select the best fruits and vegetables from the stacks, or picked your favourite meat and dairy products from the refrigerated displays. But have you ever stopped to think about how it got there? Food goes through a cycle from production to waste management, and every step along the way, we must be thinking of ways to ensure that food is available, accessible, nutritious, affordable and stable. These five elements are vital to food security and the goal of eliminating hunger and malnutrition worldwide.
My Food is From...
Have you ever wondered about the path different foods have to take before they end up in your lunch box? This resource will enable students to identify where familiar foods are produced and describe the steps of how a particular food made it into their lunchbox.
My Gardening Journal
This hands-on wreck-it journal aligns with the Grade 4 curriculum, but is fun for all ages. Plan, plant, care for, harvest, cook/bake with, and compost your very own garden, while conducting informative scientific experiments along the way!
Nature Prints
A fun experience in Grade 5 Science is when students learn about wetland ecosystems where students study life in a local pond, slough, marsh, fen or bog. These areas are often found on a local farm, and farmers must avoid these areas for protection of the wetland, and because it is too difficult to use them for agricultural purposes.
Nourishing the Planet in the 21st Century
Engage your students with the learning materials provided on a variety of topics, including soil science and agricultural sustainability. Learn about the important role plant nutrients play in global food security, and the creation and maintenance of green spaces.
Nutrient Movement
Plants remove water and nutrients from the soil through the plant's root system. Some nutrients move into root cells from the soil by diffusion and others by an energy- requiring process (active transport). This diffusion activity represents one-way movement of dissolved nutrients into the plant roots.
Pigs
Farms are home to many types of animals—just ask Old MacDonald! Each book in this special publication series features a different farm animal. From the animal's history, to their diet and their weirdest and most wonderful traits, our goal with this series is to entertain young minds while they learn all about their favourite farmyard friends.
Pkwiman Wild Blueberries
A resource for Grade 7 Science and Grade 8 Social Studies teachers to support curriculum outcomes related to the ecological and cultural significance of wild blueberries in Mi’kmaki and Wabanaki. The lesson plan includes background information, guiding questions and a list of online resource. A student-facing inquiry guide is also provided. Links to a virtual farm tour are provided in this resource.
Planet X
‘Out of this world’ opportunities in agriculture and food. This lesson focuses on the many professions within the Agriculture and Food sector. Students gain appreciation and knowledge of the multitude of professions in agriculture, while understanding the importance of everyday food production and sustainability to the global population. Student activities include weblinks that help them research various careers.
Planet X: Out of this world' Opportunities in Agriculture and Food
‘Out of this world’ opportunities in agriculture and food. This lesson focuses on the many professions within the Agriculture and Food sector. Students gain an appreciation and knowledge of the multitude of professions in agriculture, while understanding the importance of everyday food production and sustainability to the global population. Student activities include weblinks that help them research various careers.
Pollinators
Farms are home to many types of animals—just ask Old MacDonald! Each book in this special publication series features a different farm animal. From the animal's history, to their diet and their weirdest and most wonderful traits, our goal with this series is to entertain young minds while they learn all about their favourite farmyard friends.
Productivity, Technology, and Sustainability in Canadian Ag
Investigate this big question: How have technology and environmental sustainability changed in the agricultural industry? Students will explore the topics of crop nutrients, crop production, and plant breeding to answer this question.
Project Agriculture
Agriculture infuses every aspect of human life, from the food we eat, to the jobs we do, to the products that we create. Project Agriculture provides opportunities for teachers and students to explore agricultural themes, topics, issues and challenges.
Project Produce
How are plants classified? How are different plants grown? How are foods imported? How do unfamiliar foods end up in our local grocery store? Answer these questions and more in this resource created by the National Science Teaching Association.
Pumpkin Art
During harvest season it is always fun to use pumpkins as a theme for an art project. Grades five and six enjoy colouring with markers and have usually acquired fine control of their skills using markers. With this in mind this project will also challenge their artistic talents.
Rural and Farm Safety: Animal Warning Signs and Behaviours
Large farm animals might look cute, but they can also be dangerous. Every 1 in 5 injuries on the farm is because of livestock. When large animals are scared or aggressive, they will show you through body language and warning signs—so watch out for these behaviours when near large animals!
Season Change Scavenger Hunt
Student's go on an outdoor scavenger hunt adventure to find Fall items such as leaves, seeds, and fruits. They will then connect the items they found on the scavenger hunt to the work done by farmers as seasons change. These discussions include harvest, differences in perennial and annual plants, need to maintain health of livestock in a cold winter, and more.
See Yourself in Agriculture
The Nourishing Minds publication series has been developed as an educational tool for youth, educators, parents and anyone who wishes to learn more about agriculture and food systems. These magazines offer young people the chance to engage about a wide variety of topics such as food security, nutrition, climate change and sustainability and learn how they can take action. This issue we chose to explore careers in agriculture because it is the future of our industry. As an industry that is always innovating and growing, opportunities for the next generation are vast and diverse. Bringing awareness to the many career paths available can help close the labour gap and provide job security to young adults looking for fulfilling work.
Sheep
Farms are home to many types of animals—just ask Old MacDonald! Each book in this special publication series features a different farm animal. From the animal's history, to their diet and their weirdest and most wonderful traits, our goal with this series is to entertain young minds while they learn all about their favourite farmyard friends.
Soil Health
Identify plant and animal wastes, and describe how they are recycled in nature. For example, plant leaves serve as a source of food for soil insects, worms and other creatures. The wastes of these animals may then be further broken down by molds, fungi and bacteria.
Soil Sorting
Not all soil is the same - even soil that looks similar can be very different. Soils contain different properties and different nutrients that plants use. Students will be given a sample of soil to inspect and identify differences they can see in the soil, including organic and inorganic material.
Spring Sprout 2022
Sprout is a hands-on learning magazine for young farmers designed to educate and entertain. Whether you live in the country or the city, get ready for some farm and food fun! Designed for pre-teens, Sprout features farm stories, puzzles, animals, crafts, recipes, food facts, science experiments and more.
Spring Sprout 2023
Sprout is a hands-on learning magazine for young farmers designed to educate and entertain. Whether you live in the country or the city, get ready for some farm and food fun! Designed for pre-teens, Sprout features farm stories, puzzles, animals, crafts, recipes, food facts, science experiments and more.
Summer Sprout 2021
Sprout is a hands-on learning magazine for young farmers designed to educate and entertain. Whether you live in the country or the city, get ready for some farm and food fun! Designed for pre-teens, Sprout features farm stories, puzzles, animals, crafts, recipes, food facts, science experiments and more.
Summer Sprout 2022
Sprout is a hands-on learning magazine for young farmers designed to educate and entertain. Whether you live in the country or the city, get ready for some farm and food fun! Designed for pre-teens, Sprout features farm stories, puzzles, animals, crafts, recipes, food facts, science experiments and more.
Sustainability
The Nourishing Minds publication series has been developed as an educational tool for youth, educators, parents and anyone who wishes to learn more about agriculture and food systems. These magazines offer young people the chance to engage about a wide variety of topics such as food security, nutrition, climate change and sustainability and learn how they can take action. This issue we chose to explore agriculture’s environmental connection because it will help us reach new levels of sustainability. We want to see a tomorrow where agriculture is thriving and precious resources like water, soil, and air are available for future generations.
Sustainable Development Goals
The Nourishing Minds publication series has been developed as an educational tool for youth, educators, parents and anyone who wishes to learn more about agriculture and food systems. These magazines offer young people the chance to engage about a wide variety of topics such as food security, nutrition, climate change and sustainability and learn how they can take action. In our second issue of Nourishing Minds we chose to explore the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals because they are the future of our industry. We want to see a world where Goal 2: Zero Hunger is achieved and "development meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs." This is a global agenda that we strive to achieve every day.
Take a Stand
This pre-assessment activity makes a great introduction to a module or unit that discusses food security, food systems, nutrition, sustainability, and agriculture practices. Student examine their own beliefs and knowledge about food in order to become aware of the role that agriculture plays in their lives.
Teacher Garden Club Session #1
In the first workshop we'll be learning all about planting seedlings. Topics will include planting seedlings in a classroom setting, why seedlings are planted inside, what kinds of plants your class can grow, and how to make your seedlings thrive in the classroom! The workshop will include an instructional session with a question and answer period afterwards.
Teacher Garden Club Session #2
In our second workshop we will learn all about taking care of indoor seedlings and preparing for an outdoor garden. Topics will include different ways to set up a classroom garden, how much space is needed, what kind of location to use, and how to bring seedlings from inside to outside!
Teacher Garden Club Session #3
In our third workshop, we will learn all about the last frost and transplanting. Topics will include when the last frost is in your area, how to bring seedlings from inside to outside, and replanting your seeds for the growing season!
Temporary Foreign Workers in Canada Educators' Resource
Explore with your students through various fun interactive activities the importance and contributions of temporary foreign workers to the agriculture and food industry as well as to consumers.
The Adventures of Chase Duffy in Fields of Home
Join Chase Duffy on an incredible canola journey. This adventure includes a trip back in time, a discovery of canola and a meeting with Mr. Slovonuk, the first farmer who imported rapeseed from Poland to Canada, which eventually became modern day canola! The Fields of Home animation is based on the Fields of Home graphic novel.
The Culture of Agriculture: North America
"The Culture of Agriculture" ignites curiosity and enable people to discover the world of food, agriculture, and culinary arts. We want to take readers on an around-the-world tour of different continents, diving deeper into the culture and history that shaped the food systems we see today. We chose to explore the continent of North America for our first issue because it is both our home and a rich cultural mosaic of food, created from a unique exchange of ideas and ingredients.
The Food Value Chain
The Nourishing Minds publication series has been developed as an educational tool for youth, educators, parents and anyone who wishes to learn more about agriculture and food systems. These magazines offer young people the chance to engage about a wide variety of topics such as food security, nutrition, climate change and sustainability and learn how they can take action. In our fourth issue of Nourishing Minds, we explore the process food goes through in order to reach our plates - a process known as the food value chain. Concerns around the cost of food, the safety of food, nutrition and healthy eating, the economy, and sustainability are some of the most pressing issues for Canadians. From production to storage and distribution to retail and waste management, join us as we discover the journey of our food, from farm to table
The Great Canadian Farm Tour: Season 1
Learn about Canada’s exciting agriculture and food story, and see what life is like for real Canadian farmers all across the country by taking your students on 11 virtual farm tours. This extraordinary learning opportunity will inspire your students, ignite their curiosity, and teach them about the important role agriculture plays in their lives, every day!
The Great Canadian Farm Tour: Season 2
We are back with another season of Great Canadian Farm Tour. Learn about Canada’s exciting agriculture and food story, and see what life is like for real Canadian farmers all across the country by taking your students on 11 virtual farm tours. This extraordinary learning opportunity will inspire your students, ignite their curiosity, and teach them about the important role agriculture plays in their lives, every day!
The Radish Party
This inquiry provides students with an exciting opportunity to grow vegetables while watching each stage of growth. Through this they will learn that stem strength and colour, in addition to growth, are indicative of a healthy plant and healthy soil.
The Real Dirt on Farming in the Classroom
The Real Dirt on Farming in the Classroom enables students to engage with the Real Dirt on Farming while examining its key areas – animal welfare, crops and plants, sustainability, agriculture policy, hot topics in our food system & more!
The Story of Food: Beef
The tradition of eating beef has passed down many generations to become an important part for many of our regular diets. It is an excellent source of high quality protein and essential nutrients needed by the body for optimal functioning. Take your students on a learning ag-venture with our beef cattle lessons, activities and farm fun resources.
The Story of Food: Canola
Canola is a crop with plants from three to five feet tall that produce pods from which seeds are harvested and crushed to create canola oil and meal. Canola can be found growing in fields all across Alberta. It is a special crop with plants from three to five feet tall that produce pods from which seeds are harvested and crushed to create canola oil and meal. These plants also produce small, yellow flowers, which beautify the environment and create bright yellow fields! In this issue of The Story of Food, we will learn about the canola crop and how the pressed canola seeds make the world's healthiest cooking oil.
The Story of Food: Chicken
What came first, the chicken or the egg? Well, we can't answer that question, but we can tell you about the chicken's journey from egg to barn to nugget! Chicken is one of the most popular sources of protein all across the globe! The meat and eggs can be used in a variety of nutritious dishes for breakfast, dinner, and even dessert! Here in Canada, all chicken raised for meat and eggs is free-run, and never fed any added hormones or steroids. As the chicken grow they are fed a proper nutritious diet for each stage of growth, which typically consists of locally grown grains. Learn more by reading "The Story of Food: Chicken."
The Story of Food: Cranberry
From the way they are harvested to the way they taste–cranberries are an interesting fruit! They are often used to make sauces, jellies, baked goods, and juice. They contain important minerals and vitamins A and C, which are important qualities for any superhero! Cranberries are native to North America and were first used by Indigenous Peoples as a source of food and were added to dishes like pemmican (dried meat with berries). Today, in Canada, most cranberry superheroes are grown in British Columbia and Quebec. They are bright red on the outside like strawberries and cherries but that doesn’t mean they are sweet on the inside. If you bite into this fruit when it is fresh, you might be surprised by the sour flavour, but that isn't the only surprise the cranberry is hiding. Read "The Story of Food: Cranberry" to learn more.
The Story of Food: Dairy
Dairy cattle are female cattle bred for the ability to produce large quantities of milk, from which dairy products are made. An average dairy cow produces 30 to 35 litres of milk a day. That’s about 8 milk jugs of great tasting, nutrient packed goodness. Dairy cows are barnyard royalty and have earned themselves the nickname “Dairy Queens.” Happy and healthy cows produce more milk, so farmers make sure to take very good care of their dairy cows. Dairy farmers make sure their cows have a diet suited to their needs. The most common food dairy cows eat are grasses, but they also may get corn, soybeans, oats, barley or clover depending on their needs. Learn more by reading "The Story of Food: Dairy."
The Story of Food: Eggs
Eggs are simply the best! They taste great and can be used in a variety of dishes from savoury to sweet! In addition to their great taste, eggs are an excellent source of protein. Protein is very important for your health. It keeps you full and gives you energy for the day! Protein also helps build muscle and makes your hair and nails stronger. Crack open the mystery of where eggs come from as we follow eggs on their journey from barn to belly!
The Story of Food: Holiday Edition
The holidays are a special time of the year! Among holiday cheer and gifts, getting together with your family and friends truly makes it a happy season—and what’s the best way to bring people together? Delicious and fun homemade holiday treats, of course! "The Story of Food: Holiday Edition" has recipes for all ages!
The Story of Food: Potatoes
Potatoes, sometimes called spuds, are a starchy tuber of the plant Solanum tuberosum. They come in a wide array of colours and sizes due to hundreds of years of cultivation. Potatoes aren't just good to eat, they are are a nutritious vegetable packed with essential vitamins and minerals that help support our bodies and increase energy levels. Potatoes are loaded with nutrients and contain a good amount of carbs and fibre as well as vitamin C, vitamin B6, potassium and manganese. They are more energy-packed than any other popular vegetable and are used in a variety of dishes all over the world! Potatoes can be baked, fried, grilled or mashed. There really is no wrong way to cook potatoes, they taste delicious no matter what you do to with them!
The Story of Food: Pulses
Pulses are the dried edible seeds of legumes. Legumes are plants that grow in pods, like beans. Common pulses include dry peas, dry beans, chickpeas and lentils. For a legume to be considered a pulse, it must be dried. This means fresh peas and beans are not pulses, but dry peas and beans are. Read "The Story of Food: Pulses" to learn more about this amazing legume!
The Story of Food: Pumpkins
Pumpkins: They’re fall’s favourite vegetable. Whether you love to eat them or just enjoy carving spooky faces into them, pumpkins have a fascinating history. They weren’t always the plump, orange gourds we know today. Originally from Mexico, pumpkins used to be a lot smaller, whiter, and even bitter. So, why did they catch on? Well, pumpkins were actually wanted for their thick flesh. Indigenous communities were known to roast pumpkin strips over the fire or dry the strips to be woven into mats. The vegetable became one of the first crops to be grown in North America, and visiting seafarers would often take them back to their own countries. They were even used during the first Thanksgiving where pilgrims wrote a poem to honour the vegetable for keeping them alive during the tough North American winters. Read "The Story of Food: Pumpkins" to learn more.
The Story of Food: Sugar Beets
We love sweet snacks! But, did you know that much of Canada's sugar comes from sugar beets? Here in Alberta, Taber homes the only sugar refinery in all of Canada. The process of producing sugar is truly a labour of love. From growing, the process of photosynthesis, to harvesting and extracting the sugar! From here we will also learn about the benefits of sugar (in proportion), and how it gives us the energy to take on each day. Learn more by reading "The Story of Food: Sugar Beets."
The Story of Food: Wheat
Did you know that wheat is the most harvested crop in the world? Wheat is a member of the grass family which is widely cultivated for its seed, a cereal grain which is a worldwide staple food. Wheat is a building block for many common foods. Read "The Story of Food: Wheat" to learn more!
The Story of Food: Zucchini
Zucchinis: They have an origin story – Every superhero has a backstory, explaining where they came from and how they came to be a superhero. Zucchinis are no different. Often mistaken as a vegetable, zucchinis are actually a fruit – a squash to be exact! They are a part of the gourd family along with melons, cucumbers and pumpkins. First grown in Mexico, the oldest seeds discovered were from 7,000 years ago! They quickly grew in popularity, and zucchinis soon spread from Mexico to the rest of the world. Read "The Story of Food: Zucchini" to learn more.
This Land is Your Land
Soil erosion is something farmers have to be very aware of. Through this activity students will learn about erosion on different types of soil. Then they will design and build a farm with the goal of protecting buildings and crops from being flooded or washed away. Students work creatively as farmers to prevent soil erosion and save their farm.
Three Sisters Companion Planting
In learning about plant growth and change, it is always fun for students to enjoy discovery learning and immerse themselves in a hands-on project. With this concept in mind, students will have the experience of nurturing plants through one complete life-cycle; from seed to seed, of a “Three Sisters” garden. This companion planting method is one that members of the Iroquois confederacy has used for centuries. If you have the opportunity it is fun to work in a community garden space at your school, otherwise students will need to prepare and complete the growing portion of the project in their home gardens.
Timeline of Agricultural and Settlement Events
A list of Canadian agricultural events that have happened since the year 2,000,000 BCE. This list highlights the relationships between agriculture and settlement in Canada.
What is Food Security?
The Nourishing Minds publication series has been developed as an educational tool for youth, educators, parents and anyone who wishes to learn more about agriculture and food systems. These magazines offer young people the chance to engage about a wide variety of topics such as food security, nutrition, climate change and sustainability and learn how they can take action. In this first issue of Nourishing Minds, we explore food security and food insecurity while breaking down the stages food goes through from food production to food waste. We investigate the various causes of food insecurity, including environmental and social factors, and address the challenges of achieving food security globally. By creating content that engages students and empowers educators, we bring agriculture to life today so that together we can change the world to a better tomorrow.
What is the Ethical Choice for People, Animals and Planet?
How can today's food system meet the growing global demand to produce more food using fewer resources? This video incorporates the 'Earth as an apple' model to highlight the amount of soil available and looks at the amount of freshwater available. At the same time, it highlights the increasing need for food due to an increasing global population.
What's Food Security? (Interactive)
The Nourishing Minds publication series has been developed as an educational tool for youth, educators, parents and anyone who wishes to learn more about agriculture and food systems. These magazines offer young people the chance to engage about a wide variety of topics such as food security, nutrition, climate change and sustainability and learn how they can take action.
Winter Sprout 2021–22
Sprout is a hands-on learning magazine for young farmers designed to educate and entertain. Whether you live in the country or the city, get ready for some farm and food fun! Designed for pre-teens, Sprout features farm stories, puzzles, animals, crafts, recipes, food facts, science experiments and more.
Winter Sprout 2022–23
Sprout is a hands-on learning magazine for young farmers designed to educate and entertain. Whether you live in the country or the city, get ready for some farm and food fun! Designed for pre-teens, Sprout features farm stories, puzzles, animals, crafts, recipes, food facts, science experiments and more.
Winter Sprout 2023–24
Sprout is a hands-on learning magazine for young farmers designed to educate and entertain. Whether you live in the country or the city, get ready for some farm and food fun! Designed for pre-teens, Sprout features farm stories, puzzles, animals, crafts, recipes, food facts, science experiments and more.
You Are What You Eat!
Introduce your students to the topic of food science! They will identify which foods contain carbohydrates, fats, sugars, and/or proteins. These activities will help students to then apply their knowledge of what their food is made up of, to their daily food choices.
connectAG
This online resource invites students in Grades 7 to 9 to explore Canadian agriculture by introducing them to farms and farmers across Canadian provinces, including the variety of agricultural commodities they produce and their link to our food system.
snapAG Information Sheets: Farming and the Environment
From Beef Protein to Carbon Sequestration, explore a number of hot-button topics related to farming and the environment!
snapAG Information Sheets: Technology and Innovation
From the science behind GMOs, to GMOs around the world, explore a number of hot-button topics related to technology and innovations in agriculture and food.
snapAG Jeopardy
Are you looking for an engaging way to discuss hot topics affecting the agriculture agriculture with your students? This game will add a little bit of competition, and result in a whole lot of learning!
snapAG Website
What are GMOs and are they okay to eat? What does organic farming look like? How are animals like chickens or cattle raised? snapAG is a series of resources that invite students to explore the hot topics affecting the agriculture industry today. Topics range from organics, biotechnology, GMOs, livestock, and more. Explore what’s trending in agriculture in Canada by browsing the topics on the website.
For educators, please share the direct snapAG Website link with your students to access. No login required.
thinkAG 30-Day Challenge Calendar
30 days of thinkAG career exploration activities! AITC-C is challenging your classroom to explore the world of agriculture and food career opportunities with this Canada Career Month calendar (featuring November 2022). Feel free to continue using this resource beyond November for year-round suggestions on career education with students, both at home and at school.
thinkAG Career Case
Demonstrate the diversity and importance of careers in agriculture and food with this fun game, while supporting students in recognizing how their skills and interests can fit into careers in the industry. Students are faced with various challenges in which they work in groups to determine the careers needed to solve the case.
thinkAG Career Case: Explore Digital Agriculture Extension
What is “Digital Agriculture”, what are some careers involved, and how does agricultural technology compare to everyday technology? Explore the various tools and technologies used in agriculture and food production, and the leading-edge careers that exist within the compelling world of digital agriculture. *Facilitator Slide Deck Only*
thinkAG Career Exploration Activity Toolkit
The thinkAG Career Exploration Activity Toolkit is as collection of games and activities that allow students from grades 9-12 to explore career opportunities in agriculture and agri-foods and gives students a chance to try out some of the skills required for positions in agriculture.
thinkAG Initiative: Agriculture is...
Can you picture yourself in a career in agriculture and food? This series of videos showcases different career choices in agri-food with a focus on Art, Business, Engineering, Math, Science, and Technology.