Georgia Kindergarten Teacher Andrea Seagraves Recognized for her Fabulous Farm Fridays
Andrea Seagraves began the "Farm Friday" project and "Agriculture Alphabet" curriculum to bring more attention to agriculture in her kindergarten classroom. This program added to her "Professions of the Alphabet" program, during which community members talk to her class about their jobs.
"I began to notice how many of my volunteers had professions in agriculture, so I thought it would be great to merge my new idea of the Agriculture Alphabet with their visits to my classroom," Andrea said.
Every Friday is dedicated at least an hour of agriculturally-based activity that corresponds with the focus letter of the week in the classroom. The class has already studied letters M (milk), T (timber), A (apples), S (soil and sod), P (poultry and pigs), C and I (crop and livestock inspections) and B (bees and beef) by participating in activities that span from reading, language and writing to science and math.
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Children in Andrea Seagraves's kindergarten class were given a construction paper milk carton to cut out to match their favorite flavor. They wrote a sentence on the milk carton that said, "I like _____(white, chocolate, or strawberry) milk."
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"I am extremely enthusiastic about this program because our community is rural and unfortunately our students do not realize how they can become successful contributing members of society doing jobs that all connect back to something as simple as soil and seeds," Andrea said.
"We have a depressed graduation rate and I am trying to do what I can at my level to plant seeds of desire for education so that our community and citizens will benefit," Andrea said. "Agriculture is prominent in Crawford County and I would be honored for my students and children to graduate from school and be successful in an Ag based career."
Every week the classroom teachers and students wear their "Farm Friday" shirts to show enthusiasm for the activities and to promote Ag in the Classroom on a building level, school level, and community level.
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During a field trip to the Georgia National Fair, students learned about poultry and other agricultural animals, occupations and industries.
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The class has also gone to the Georgia National Fair at the Perry Agriculture Center where students focused on numerous agriculture exhibits highlighting livestock, logs, soil, cotton and bees. Future trips will include a visit to a local organic farm and to The Rock Ranch, a 1,250-acre cattle ranch, in the spring. The classroom students even have their own space to use as a Green House Room where they have a worm farm growing.
Andrea was inspired to begin the "Farm Friday" project after attending an Ag in the Classroom summer class at Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College. What inspires you to help others learn about agriculture? Tweet us at @AgFoundation.
Do you know an outstanding volunteer? Nominate them to be recognized at agfoundation.org What We Support-Volunteers.
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