Thorsby students learn about agriculture at Farm Day
Published 8:52 am Friday, April 18, 2014
Learning experience: Thorsby students Ethan Traywick, Gracie Berger, Emily Parker and Destini Turner take turns feeding a lamb with help from Dylan Dispennette during Thorsby FFA’s Farm Day on Thursday at the school.
Thorsby students on Thursday took a hands-on approach to learning about agriculture at the school’s second annual Farm Day.
The event, which was sponsored by the school’s Future Farmers of America group, allowed third graders and other students to see farm animals up close—students even petted or fed some of the animals—as they learned about the animals and other aspects of agriculture.
“They’re just educating them on why agriculture is so important and why it’s such a big part of our daily lives,” said Brian Lucas, the school’s FFA sponsor.
In the know: Katie Watley (left) and Sydnee Robinson teach Thorsby third graders about cotton during Farm Day.
About 68 third graders spent about 15 minutes at each of 12 stations set up in the grassy area in front of the school. They learned about everything from forestry and cotton to cows and swine.
Younger students and older students were also allowed to walk through the field to see the animals and educational displays.
Students were given T-shirts that read: “Agriculture. It’s in me and on me.”
Aiden Niamon, a student in Dana Bolding’s class, said he enjoyed learning about cows and chickens, especially the fact that cows have stomachs with four parts.
“I live around cows,” Niamon said. “I get to help feed them.”
Not all the students, or even all their teachers, came into Farm Day with as much previous knowledge as Niamon.
For example, Lucas enjoyed hearing fellow teachers exclaim: “I didn’t know my makeup came from a pig!”
“We take all of this for granted,” Lucas said.
