Manitoba Ag Days may be postponed, but Agriculture in the Classroom-Manitoba is able to push ahead with its Ag Days programming due to a new virtual program for Grade 7 students. The program, which was slated to launch with the start of Manitoba Ag Days 2022 (postponed due to COVID restrictions), is now available to Manitoba teachers.
“Thanks to funding from Manitoba Ag Days, Viterra, and the Canadian Agriculture Partnership, we have created a fully blended program that can happen in class or at home, anywhere in the province,” said Sue Clayton, AITC-M’s Executive Director. “Nothing can replace the value of the hands-on, in-person programming we normally do at Ag Days, but we consider this a fabulous opportunity to develop something we can use year after year and reach even more students province-wide who wouldn’t normally get a chance to go to Brandon for the in-person program.”
The new program, which currently has 875 students registered, includes:
• Think Global – Agriculture & Our World – a gamified learning experience that teaches students about food security, population and land distribution, Canada’s connection to the world through agricultural trade, and more
• Act Local – Agriculture & Manitoba – a video that introduces students to the depth of the agriculture industry in Manitoba by focusing on the diversity of agriculture careers available to your students no matter what their skills or interests
• Plus, other classroom resources to help teachers deliver the virtual experience in class or with students learning from home.
AITC-M’s usual MB Ag Days Adventure is a program designed to help grade 7 and 8 students think globally and act locally about agriculture, food security and agriculture careers. Students learn about global food production and Canada’s import/export of agricultural goods. They then move on to a scavenger hunt at the Keystone Centre in Brandon to explore agricultural careers and the importance of the local industry.
“At the end of the day, the most important thing is that we get to teach students about agriculture,” said Clayton, “We are optimistic that we will be back in Brandon next year for Ag Days. And the real benefit is that now students across the province are able to participate in the MB Ag Days program year-after-year thanks to the development of this virtual offering.”
