Welcome to Ag@School!This is the last of three issues for this school year.

Your subscription for next year will NOT be automat-ically renewed. Please visit our website www.waic.net to complete a survey and re-subscribe or unsubscribe. Thank you in advance for your feedback. The first issue next year should arrive at schools the end of September.

Produced by Washington Ag in the Classroom, Ag@School is designed to help teachers meet student educational goals as well as develop agricultural literacy. The teacher guide connects activities to specific EALRs that will help your students meet state requirements.

This issue is designed to help students understand:

• theunbreakableconnectionbetweenagricultureand natural resources

• theroleofagricultureintheconservationofour natural resources

• themeaningofsustainableagriculture

• whywaterisimportanttoWashington,howmuchwe have, and how it is used

• whycontrollingpestsisnecessaryforagriculture,for humans, and for wildlife

• thatEarthDayforagricultureisnotjustonceayear, it’s every day

Teacher Guide and Post-Test• Reproducibleactivitiesintheteacherguideexpand

on concepts covered in the magazine: Page 4 includes vocabulary activities, a water cycle cross-word puzzle, and facts about sheep and wool produc-tion to augment “Sheep are Stewards, too” on Page 7 of the magazine.

• ThePostTestonPage6isdesignedtohelpprepare students to write. The writing prompts include the four modes of writing: expository, narrative, descriptive and persuasive.

Vocabulary WordsEach issue will introduce several words that may be

unfamiliar to students. These words will appear in bold type the first time they are used.

Words in this issue include: stewardship, natural resources, conservation, sustainable, precipitation, percolation, evaporation, transpiration, condensation, erosion, topsoil, tillage, noxious weed and watershed. Definitionscanbefoundinthereproduciblevocabu-lary activity in the teacher guide as well as scattered throughout the magazine.

Ag@School fundingMany businesses, organizations, public agencies

and individuals contribute money and time to provide you this magazine at no cost. They are listed on Page 5 along with a suggested activity for research and writing letters of thanks. We suggest using the activity as a smallgroupprojectbothforinternetresearchpracticeand, of course, letter writing experience.

Cover – Protecting Agriculture’s ToolsBackground:

Although cultural practices, machinery and tech-nology in agriculture have advanced in ways that even amaze farmers, the basic tools of this business have not changed since farming began 10,000 years ago. Air, water, soil, and solar energy are essential for plant life, without which animals and humans could not exist.

Care of these tools is important, possibly more so for agriculture than for any other industry. Agriculture takes thisjobseriously.Stewardshiphasadvancedalongwithscience and technology. Farming today is a far cry from thatpracticedjustafewdecadesago.

Discussion starters:

1. Using the definition of stewardship (bottom right of cover), discuss the four basic tools. Brainstorm which of these the farmer can control and why.

2.Discusstheimportanceofpropercareofair,waterand soil and how urban and rural residents might have differing views on the best use of these resources (water for example, farming use vs recreational use).

Answers page 1:

1) solar energy; 2) soil; 3) water; 4) air

Page 2 – Sustainable AgricultureDiscussion starters:

1. Why are farmers our most important environmental-ists? (Because they manage such a large amount of land–over46%nationally)

2. Talk about the true definition of sustainable agricul-ture. What would happen if people could not make a living? If all US farmers went out of business what would replace agriculture on the land?

3. Foresters are farmers, too. Why is stewardship of forest land more important in Washington than in many other states? (half of our state is covered by forests)

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TEACHER GUIDEVolume 7, Issue 3 2007/2008

4. Back in the 1880’s, conservationist John Muir said, “When we try to pick out anything by itself, we find it hitched to everything else in the universe.” What do you think he meant? How does it relate to farming and stewardship?

Answers page 2:

Why is conservation important to a farmer? his liveli-hood depends on it; he generally lives on the land he farms and wants clean air and water for his family too.

To be sustainable, U.S. agriculture and forestry must make a profit. Why?Discusshowthestudents’parentsearn money. What would their families do if no money was earned?

Page 3 – Water and the Water CycleDiscussion starters:

1.DiscusstheincrediblewaterresourceswehaveinWashington.Havestudentsthinkofamajorbodyofwater they are familiar with and what benefits it provides (hydropower, recreation, fishing, irrigation).

2.Discussthewatercycleandhowwaterisusedoverand over. Can they think of ways to get more water to places that don’t have enough? Brainstorm ways to conserve water in your local area.

3.Discusshowwateriscleanedthroughnaturalprocesses. What impurities might be left behind when it evaporates and where did they come from? What can people do to help stop impurities from getting in the water in the first place?

Answers page 3:

Where does Washington water go? (answers in magazine at bottom of page 3).

Pages 4/5 – Earth Friendly AgDiscussion starters:

1.Discussthedifferenttypesofconservationpracticesoutlined in the articles. How might practices for an apple grower differ from a cattle or dairy rancher? How would their problems differ?

2. Soil erosion is the number one detriment to a sustain-able farming system and also the main source of water pollution.Discussurbansoilerosionandhowitmightbelessened (construction sites, road building, hillsides with no vegetation).

3.Waterconservationdoesnotjustapplytoagriculture.Beautiful yards often require large amounts of water too. Brainstorm how homeowners could save water by planning yards that require less.

Answers page 5:

Conservation Quiz: 1) stewardship; 2) air, soil, water, solarenergy;3)dripirrigation;50%;4)erosion;5)tillage,stubble;6)threebenefitsofrecyclingwastewater: less expensive; uses less energy; provides habitat for birds; 7) a beetle; 8) manure is used in pressed fire logs, in particle board, and as matting to protect forest paths; 9) crop rotation controls pests, improves soil quality, reduces the need for chemicals.

Page 6 – Weeds and Weed ControlDiscussion starters:

1. When would a flower be considered a weed? Why? Why are noxious weeds so hard to get rid of?

2.Discussweedsinyourareaandwhatstudentsmightdo to help get rid of them.

3.ContactyourlocalWeedDistricttoarrangeaclasspresentation or take a “weed walk” around your school grounds.

Page 7 – Bees, Bad Bugs and SheepDiscussion starters:

1.Beesareveryimportanttofarmers.Discusswhya farmer would use extreme caution not to harm bees while trying to control harmful insects.

2. Talk about what makes something a pest. What are the main pests that farmers contend with? How do they differ from pests that confront the students?

3. What could happen if we did nothing to control pests? Water supply? Hospitals? School kitchens?

4.Discusswhysheepareenvironmentallyfriendlypestcontrol in both forestry and farming.

Word search solution page 6:

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EALR ConnectionsReading: The articles and activities throughout the magazine link to

most reading standards. They can be used to build skills in outlining, vocabulary, comprehending important ideas, reading factual material, or reading to learn new information.

Writing: The post test is designed to help prepare students to write.

The prompts include the four modes of writing: expository, narrative, descriptive and persuasive.

Communication: Standard 1 (listening and observation skills) – all pages

Standard 2 (using communication skills to interact/work with others) – p. 2, 3

Mathematics: Standard 1 (understands and applies concepts and proce-

dures) – p. 3, 5 Standard 3 (uses mathematical reasoning) – p. 3 Standard 5 (connecting math to real-life situations) – p. 3

Geography: Standard 2 (natural and physical characteristics of places and

regions) – p. 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8 Standard 3 (interaction between people and the environment)

–p.1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8

History: Standard 2 (impact of ideas/technology on history) – p. 2, 4,

5,6,7,8

Economics: Standard 1 (impacts of scarcity on choices) – p. 2, 3, 4, 5, 8 Standard 2 (characteristics of economic systems) – p. 2

Civics: Standard 4 (principles of democratic civic involvement) – p. 2,

3,4,5,6,7,8

Science: Standard 1 (scientific concepts and principles) – p. 1, 2, 3, 4,

5,6,7,8 Standard 3 (nature and contexts of science and technology) –

p.2,3,4,5,6,7,8

Learn More About AgricultureWebsites: To learn more about the topics covered in this issue visit the following:

www.nwcb.wa.gov click on ‘Education’ to find curriculum and activities about noxious weeds

www.epa.gov/safewater/kids EPA’s water site for kids: games and puzzles, online activities and lessons by grade level

www.groundwateradventurers.org water conservation & the story of water with many activi-ties and lessons for K-12

Page 8 – Every Day is Earth Day!Discussion starter:

BrainstormwhyeverydayisEarthDaytoafarmer.Whymust he take care of natural resources?

Activity:

Make a quick watershed model by crumpling newspaper and draping a piece of plastic over the ‘hills’. Spray on water and have students trace the movement downhill. Find out what watershed you live in and where your runoff eventually ends up.

Answers to Earth Day Puzzle

Across: 1) weeds; 4) erosion; 7) litter; 8) habitat; 9) topsoil

Down: 1) water; 2) conservation; 3) wildlife; 5)stewardship;6)recycle

Publication and CreditsAg@School is a publication of Washington Agriculture

in the Classroom, a non-profit entity created in 1981 to encourage and help teachers increase agricultural literacy in their students. Both public and private groups includingtheWADept.ofAgriculture,WSU,commoditycommissions, farm organizations, businesses and indi-viduals, support the mission. Teachers may reproduce any pages for use.

Editing by Peg Shipley. Graphic design by Ritz Publishing&Design.

Answers page 7:

WhatDidYouLearn: 1) What is the #1 pest in ag? – weeds 2) What is the most important insect to agriculture? – honeybee 3) Four ways that weed seeds can spread – wind, water, animals and humans 4) Three good bugs – ladybugs, lacewings, praying mantises

Answers to Sheep Puzzle: Scrambled words: herbicide, food, fiber, grazing Final answer: Sheep are earth friendly

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Wool is the protective coat (or fleece) from sheep or other animals, and it is a very important animal fiber. Wool is a renewable resource because sheep get haircuts every year. This is called shearing, and it is done after the weather warms up in the late spring. The wool will grow again during the summer and fall, and will be long enough to keep the animal warm through the winter.

SHEEP GET HAIRCUTS TOO!

Sheep are raised in flocks. A female sheep is called a ewe, a male is a ram, and young sheep are called lambs.

After shearing, a fleece is grad-ed to determine the quality or value. This will depend on both the length and the thickness of the fibers. Finer wool makes softer fabric. The wool is then cleaned and untangled. This is called carding. It is then spun into yarn and woven into fabric. Wool is great for many products: sweat-ers, jackets and suits, as well as carpets and blankets.

What Other New Words

Did You Learn?

1. ______________________ the movement of soil by wind or water

2. ______________________ the fertile, upper layer of soil where food crops grow best

3. ______________________ non-native plant that has no natural enemies to keep it controlled

4. ______________________ plowing or cultivating the soil

5. ______________________ able to continue indefinitely

Across7. The evaporation of water from plant surfaces

Down1. The process of water vapor turning into liquid2. The movement of water into soil through cracks, holes and pores3. Rain, snow, hail, sleet, dew and frost4. Changing from a liquid or solid state to a gas or vapor5. Protection and preservation of natural resources6. The land area that delivers run-off water to the area’s lowest point

WORD LIST FOR PUZZLE AND WORD FILL-IN

precipitation condensation erosion

evaporation sustainable watershed

transpiration noxious weed tillage

conservation percolation topsoil

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7

5

6

2 3 4

After reading about wool, draw a line from the words to their definitions.

fleece A female sheep

carding A young sheep

ram A sheep haircut

ewe Untangling wool fiber

lamb A sheep’s coat

shearing A male sheep

4

5

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