Environmental and agricultural literacy education

Educational offerings that utilize environmental and agricultural themes ca n reinforce basic education for students in kindergarten through twelfth gr ade (K-12) while also teaching about the environment and agricultural metho ds and products. A curriculum guide about the environment and food and fibe r production was created for K-12 teachers. These materials were evaluated for their effectiveness in increasing student knowledge using elementary cl asses in several states. It was noted through pre/post tests that younger s tudents, in general, made greater gains. Within five thematic areas, the gr eatest overall improvement was shown in themes related to the environment. Environmental topics covered, all in the context of agricultural themes, in cluded the need to preserve shared natural resources including land, water, and air as well as the managing of the ecosystem and the use of non-renewa ble energy resources. Clearly such classroom guides have utility in teachin g young students about environmental issues and their relationship to other important topics. This guide and its corresponding Website enhance both op portunities to transmit new knowledge as well as assess performance and imp act on behavior.