Kids in Duplin County grow up with a great deal of exposure to agriculture and agriculture is essentially the economy of the county. If the children in Duplin County are to stay in their community, agriculture is one of the best (and only) career options. Many of us, my students included, understand agriculture to be simple growing and harvesting and selling, but the field of agriculture is evolving immensely in a 21st century global society. Many of my students are uninterested in agriculture, perhaps because they are over-exposed and bored by it or perhaps because they consider agriculture to be a form of waged labor and The agriculture workforce at large, Duplin County included, needs growers with deeper STEM knowledge and experience to advance the field. This next generation of Duplin County students can play a key role in transforming agriculture in their community, and in result help the economy of their county. This potential opportunity for my students right in their community has sparked a big “Ahah” for me.
21st century agricultural advances has to revolve around the application of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics into growing, harvesting, production and processing. It is now a competition to make the best products to sell at the highest costs, while spending the least amount on raw materials and labor. At the Duplin Winery, contract farmers sell their grapes to processing and production and they get paid by the quality and taste of their grapes. It’s important for our students to conceptualize business and industry components of this process. They need to know the importance of making a competitive product, better than the other farmers products. Also, our students need to be aware of the rapidly growing global population and the global food crisis, and thus the rising need to produce in mass quantities to feed globally. That being said, they should be aware of the pushes towards local production and sustainability, with growing concerns of carbon emissions and pollution.
Modern genetics is quickly advancing and full of discoveries, including applications in modern agriculture. The 7th grade science curriculum includes a genetics unit, which is a good opportunity for deep exploration and career application. It is a gateway to open students minds to opportunities in the fields of genetics and agriculture, and the intersection in which these two growing fields merge. My idea is to use my 7th grade genetics unit to introduce some of the important applications of STEM in modern agriculture. I would like to introduce them to the fields of bioengineering, biotechnology and selective breeding.
In one lesson, I will have my students use selective breeding (through punnett squares and coin flipping) to attempt to select for the best traits in order to create the best possible crop of grapes. The lesson serves as a real-life application of how STEM, specifically genetics and bioengineering, are used in the real world, specifically to improve agricultural production and success. Although the lesson is intended for a 7th grade science genetics unit, the lesson integrates science, math, technology and engineering, as that’s how it occurs in the real-world. In the career of agriculture, the subjects are naturally integrated and a good worker needs to be competent in all subject areas. Additionally, North Carolina and the rest of the South East are full of universities with growing bioengineering programs. Exposure in the classroom to exciting and relevant college and career paths is good encouragement for Duplin County students to go to college and to bring back important knowledge and skills that will help develop the community and economy.
Where did you find those stats on ag? I need to find some on manufacturing…
I found them on the ag in the classroom website!