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The Farmer in the Lab

Science and Children—February 2010

Agriculture can play a key role in fostering scientific literacy because it brings important plant and ecosystem concepts into the classroom. Plus, agriculture, like science, is not static and includes much trial and error, investigation, and innovation. With help from community experts at the U.S. Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service (USDA–ARS), the author’s fifth-grade students explored the development of pest-resistant varieties of wheat. By using crops and insects that are important in the local environment, students gained a greater appreciation of how their food is produced.
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