Cooperative Extension, FFA promote ag in the classroom
Provided photos: Molly Kotarski reads “The Grapes Grow Sweet,” this year’s book for Ag Literacy Week. Kotarski is the Ag in the Classroom Educator for the Cornell Cooperative Extension in Orleans County.
Missy Call, 4-H Administrative Assistant, helps second graders chart taste preferences. She is also helping with Ag Educator responsibilities for the next three months to support the program.
Second graders in the five Orleans County school districts just participated in Ag Literacy Week from March 20 to 24. The students learned about the NYS grape industry, with a program that included science and math skills.
The Ag Literacy Week program is an annual event focused on introducing a book about an area of NYS agriculture and providing a lesson related to the topic that connects with Common Core. This year’s book, The Grapes Grow Sweet, teaches about the process of growing and harvesting grapes.
New York is the third highest ranked state in grape production.
Over the week each participating classroom received a copy of the book. Students also completed a tasting of white and purple grape juice and made comparisons between each. They graphed the results of this tasting as well as completing a Venn diagram.
When discussing the difference in taste they learned about different varieties of grapes as well as how soil quality and other factors directly impact taste and appearance of the final product.
Cooperative Extension Ag in the Classroom educators Molly Kotarski and Missy Call went to Lyndonville, Holley, and Kendall Schools. In Albion and Medina, members of each school’s FFA program visited second graders.
The Ag in the Classroom team is currently looking for schools, daycares, and other youth organizations who are interested in agricultural programming or activities focused on agriculture. For more information, call the Cooperative Extension Office at 585-798-4265.
