Thursday, August 28, 2008 — Two Stanly County teachers who took the initiative to learn more about North Carolina’s rich agriculture this summer have found ways to incorporate new knowledge into their classrooms.
Teresa Underwood, eighth grade science teacher at Millingport Elementary, and Joyce Whitley, academically and intellectually gifted (AIG) teacher in language arts and reading at Albemarle Middle School, attended a North Carolina Farm Bureau workshop entitled “Linking Literacy to the Environment and Agriculture” in July.
The workshop was held in Raleigh, however, all participants participated in farm tours across the Research Triangle Park, teaching strategies to connect tour experiences with literacy learning and presentations related to misconceptions in agriculture.
Whitley and Underwood agreed that the most valuable thing they learned at the workshop was how important agriculture is and how hard the farmers work day-in and day-out to produce crops.
“I realized how important agriculture is not only to the farm mentality but even to kids,” Whitley said.
“They need to understand the value of land.”
As a science teacher, Underwood has found it quite easy to incorporate knowledge she obtained from the workshop into her lesson plans. In eighth grade, children learn about common problems in North Carolina including pesticides and runoffs.
Participants visited Syngenta in the Research Triangle Park to learn about gene research, pesticide resistant seed and pest resistant seed. The Apex Nursery was also a scheduled stop as well as Central Crops Research Station, J&J; Farms, Max Denning’s Farm and Bayer Environmental Farms.
As a language arts and reading teacher, Whitley has been able to use exercises with her AIG students as well.
“There’s a lot of facts you can mix with all different subjects,” Whitley said.
The workshop was an opportunity provided by Stanly County Schools’ central office as staff development choices at the end of the year. Underwood was a part of a similar workshop. Whitley jumped on board after hearing much discussion on the opportunity.
Whitley and Underwood were actually quizzed during their three-day workshop by other participants in the group. Each group had to make up a number of questions from the experience they had on their farm sites and quiz other groups to see how much they already knew.
Whitley said she learned that the most fertile land is under all of North Carolina’s cities.
“We’ve paved over our greatest resource,” she said.
Underwood agreed and said sometimes people don’t see agriculture as a business, but she learned that it was.
According to statistics recorded in 2007, there are 719 farms in Stanly County, a total acreage of 252,864. Total farmland in the county is 107,549 acres.
Stanly County is ranked 37 out of North Carolina’s 100 counties in total profit coming in from the agricultural business.
“It makes me respect farmers more,” Underwood said.
“We just encourage other teachers to participate if they have that opportunity.”
Contact Sarah Jane Rosser at snaponline26@carolina.rr.com.
Local News
Two teachers use agriculture knowledge from summer studies in Stanly classrooms
- Local News
-
-
World War II veterans will gather at luncheon
Stanly Community College (SCC) will host its 9th Annual WWII Veterans recognition luncheon May 29 in the Webb Student Center on the Albemarle campus.
-
Stanly County Family YMCA Awarded $25,000 Grant from ALCOA Foundation
The Alcoa Foundation has awarded a grant of $25,000 to the Stanly County Family YMCA to help promote water safety and swimming skills through the 2nd Grade Learn to Swim Program at the Y.
-
World's Largest Swimming lesson set for June 14
Stanly County Family YMCA serving as an official host location
-
Volunteers help United Way agencies, community during Day of Caring
On May 11, more than 80 volunteers gathered at various worksites around Stanly County to participate in the second United Way Day of Caring event.
-
City offers optional warranty protection
The city of Albemarle is introducing a new, optional program available to homeowners, provided through the National League of Cities (NLC) Service Line Warranty Program administered by Service Line Warranties of America (SLWA).
-
Chamber members, elected officials help break ground on Richfield McDonald’s
The Stanly County Chamber of Commerce joined with local officials, clergy and business owners Thursday morning to break ground at what is to be the site of the fourth McDonald’s in Stanly County.
-
Manager proposes no tax increase; other rates may go up
Several changes are proposed for the upcoming budget year for Stanly County, according to County Manager Andy Lucas, who presented the recommended 2012-2013 budget during Monday night’s Stanly County Board of Commissioners meeting.
-
Sheriff’s Office arrests sex offender, says he failed to notify it of address change
An Albemarle man is facing sex offender non-compliance charges after he failed to notify authorities of his address change.
-
IAC receives GM award for third time
For the third time in four years, International Auto-motive Components (IAC) was named the Supplier of the Year by General Motors.
-
Police arrest 2 on multiple charges
Two individuals were arrested after stolen property was found at a residence in Albemarle.
- More Local News Headlines
-
World War II veterans will gather at luncheon
