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Planting the Agriculture Story E D U C AT I O N PA I R S W I T H FA R M I N G I N T H E C L A S S R O O M By Kerri Bell
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griculture has always been an important aspect of my life. One would think that teaching second grade in rural Kalona, I’d have more students coming from viable farm operations. However, fewer and fewer kids today have been raised on a farm.
Kerri Bell is a fourth-generation farmer who raises corn, soybeans, cover crops and alfalfa, as well as Hereford cattle in southeast Iowa. She farms alongside her husband Lance and twin daughters Ellie and Sophie, who returned to the family’s farm after graduating college. Kerri works off the farm as a second-grade teacher at Mid-Prairie East Elementary in Kalona.
Our school district works to align our science and social studies curriculum with state standards, so it’s gratifying to know that agriculture is taught throughout a child’s academic career. These lessons give kids a better understanding of the importance of agriculture in their lives and the lives of others — from the food they eat to the products they use. There are several ways I incorporate agriculture into my classroom: I’ve accumulated many books over my teaching career, and each year, I add a few more. I put a spin on the “book-a-day” idea to feature an “agriculture book-a-day.” While the book may not have a tractor or farm, you can pull aspects of agriculture from any children’s book if you look closely. I’ve always advocated for outreach programs to visit my classroom. Learning firsthand with programs offered through Washington County Extension — such as Agriculture in
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the Classroom and TryDay Friday — students can soak up information aligned with our agriculture-centered curriculum. It positively impacts them and helps educate their families, too. Using accurate resources is imperative to supporting an agriculturally literate society. The Iowa Agriculture Literacy Foundation (IALF) and National Agriculture in the Classroom provide resources I appreciate as a teacher. Each summer, I attend a continuing education course offered by IALF. I’m also a repeat student of the ag-themed summer course provided by Agriculture in the Classroom coordinators for Mahaska, Marion and Monroe Counties. It’s a jam-packed two days of education centered around agriculture. It inspires me to bring more ideas back to my classroom. From my active participation with our county organization, I’ve taken on another volunteer role as Grassroots, Network, Membership and Checkoff committee member for the Iowa Corn Growers Association. This committee uses checkoff dollars to fund and support programs like IALF. It’s an excellent way to educate teachers and students across the state, and our committee members and staff get a firsthand look when I share my classroom experiences.
