Classes spent an hour apiece investigating renewable resources, studying food science or learning the structure and function of plants.

Laurie Patterson, a second grade teacher, said she “was most interested in how the lessons aligned with the Next Generation Science Standards. It was highly organized and the students loved the hands on science lesson that was taught to her students.”

Equipped with the latest teaching technologies and tooled with STEM-based lessons to increase agricultural awareness, the 40-foot mobile classroom brings hands-on, field trip-type learning directly to schools.

The FARM Science Lab helps to reinforce grade-level standards with hands-on science experiments while increasing students’ knowledge of how agriculture impacts their daily lives. All FARM Science Lab lessons meet NGSS.

Gage Robarge, a second grade student, holds his “window garden” that he made in the farm science lab.

“The FARM Science Lab provides an opportunity for students engage and learn about the role agriculture plays in our daily lives while connecting to the NGSS science standards,” said Michelle Blodgett, FARM Science Lab Manager, Michigan Farm Bureau. “Through our Michigan Agriculture in the Classroom programming, which includes the FARM Science Lab, we strive to show teachers ways to make real-world connections to scientific concepts through agriculture.”

The FARM Science Lab’s visit to Forest Park was sponsored by the Upper Michigan Farm Bureau. As said by Becky Waters, Forest Park superintendent, “The Farm Science Lab was an excellent opportunity for our students to engage in hands on science with an outside resource agency. Opportunities such as this one, helps students learn about other career choices that can be found right here in Michigan.”

Public, private and charter K-5 schools interested in scheduling a FARM Science Lab visit are encouraged to at miagclassroom.org