Walk Through Crawly Critters Farm Charm From Pod to Candy Bar How Does Your Garden Grow Little Red Hen’s Pizza The Forrest & Me Top and Bottoms	Primary Bee-utiful Feast Like a Bug Popcorn Capers Thirsty Stems
Elementary Color Bean Cream to Butter Environmentally Friendly Farmer Fungi Fun Glue from Milk How Well Do You Wash Magical Bean Mighty Smooth Bean No Soil Now What Pigment Power Snack Attack Tree Story Where’s the Juice	Middle Banana DNA Bug Out Corn to Plastic Exciting Eggs Genetics Science of Chocolate Steering Through the Chute Super Slurper Water Analysis

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General

• agriculture – farming; the occupation, business, or science of cultivating the land, producing crops, and raising livestock in order to provide food and products
• by-product – something of value produced during the making of another product
• conclusion – to bring to a close; to deduce by
• control – to regulate or restrain
• data – information; facts or figures used in analysis
• hypothesis – an educated scientific guess
• observation – to notice or record results in a science experiment
• procedure – series of actions or steps completed in a certain order
• product – something that is manufactured or refined for sale
• properties – a characteristic or quality of something
• scientific method – process that scientists use to study and learn about the world around them; tool that scientists use to find the answer to questions by following a series of steps:

1. Identify Problem
2. Form a Hypothesis
3. Test the Hypothesis
4. Collect and Analyze data
5. Make Conclusions

• variable – something able to change or vary

Elementary

Colorful Bean

• biodegradable – readily decomposed or broken down through bacterial action
• hydrogenated – to treat a liquid vegetable oil with hydrogen and convert it into a solid fat
• non-renewable – a resource or product that cannot be renewed or recycled
• petroleum – a thick, dark, flammable liquid that occurs naturally below the surface of the earth and is processed into such products as natural gas, gasoline, kerosene, and fuel oils
• renewable – a resource able to be restored or make new again

Mighty Smooth Bean

• absorption – the process of taking in of a liquid or absorbing
• chemical change – to bring about a change in the chemical makeup of a substance
• embryo – the early developmental stage of an animal or plant
• roots – the base of a plant that usually grows underground
• seed coat – the protective outer covering of a seed
• stored sugars – food within a seed put away for future use

Glue from Milk

• casein – a milk and cheese protein used in foods and in manufacturing plastics and adhesives
• curds – coagulated milk; to change from a liquid state to a thick, soft mass
• peel strength – the stress an adhesive can bear without tearing apart when it is pulled back along the surface
• shear strength – the stress an adhesive can bear without tearing apart when the stress is along the bond (pulling sideways)
• tensile strength – the stress an adhesive can bear without pulling apart when the stress is at a right angle to the bond (pulling apart)
• viscosity – property of fluids that causes them not to flow easily
• whey – a clear liquid that separates from the curd when milk is curdled

Cream to Butter

• agitation – to shake or move sharply and irregularly
• fat content – the amount per serving of dietary fat
• homogenized – milk that has been processed to break up fat globules and distribute them evenly throughout
• nutrition label – a source used to determine the amount of nutrition in a food product

How Well Do You Wash?

• bacteria – a division of microorganisms that cause various diseases
• friction – the rubbing of a surface or object against another
• germs – any microorganism, especially one that is harmful
• percentage – parts per hundred: a fraction or ratio out of 100

Snack Attack

• contamination – to pollute; to make impure
• fat – oily animal substance
• healthy – soundness of body or mind
• ingredients – the elements in a mixture
• nutrition – labels information found on all foods to indicate calories, fat, etc.
  processed a series of changes in developing or manufacturing a product

Tree Story

• cambium – cell layer under bark of plants and trees from which new wood and bark grow
• dendrochronology – tree ring dating; an absolute dating technique using the growth rings of trees
  to determine the age of a stand of trees
• heartwood – the skeletal system of a tree made of dead sapwood that appears a darker color than new sapwood
• increment borer – a tool used by forestry workers to sample a tree and determine the age of the tree without cutting down the tree
• inner bark – the digestive system of a tree made of live phloem cells that carry the
  sugar/food made in the leaves throughout the tree
• outer bark – the skin of the tree made of dead phloem cells that split and shift in various patterns special to each tree
• phloem – plant tissue made of live cells
• sapwood – the circulatory system of a plant or tree made of xylem cells that carry minerals and water throughout the tree
• xylem – the woody vascular tissue of a plant or tree

Where’s the Juice?

• contamination – action of making something impure
• nutritious – food with nourishing value

Pigment Power

• acid – a chemical substance that neutralizes alkalis
• base – a substance that reacts with an acid to form a salt and water
• chemical reaction – a reaction that happens when two or more molecules interact and something happens
• control – in an experiment, a substance not tested that remains in its original form
• neutral – having no strongly marked characteristics or features
• phytochemicals – naturally occurring plant chemicals that fight disease

Fungi Fun

• animals – multi-celled living things that consume organic matter as food for energy and are characterized by voluntary movement
• cap – the button or umbrella like part of the mushroom that supports the reproduction process for the mushroom
• carbon dioxide – colorless, odorless gas that is produced when people and animals breathe out
• chlorophyll – green pigment present in plants that absorbs sunlight to make energy for photosynthesis process
• classification – the process of organizing something according to shared qualities or characteristics. Classifications of living things starts with categories called kingdoms
• flower – the part of the plant that is often brightly colored and allows for reproduction to occur
• fungus – a special classification of living things that lacks chlorophyll and vascular tissue that feeds on organic matter and reproduces by spores
• gills – the vertical plates arranged radially on the underside of mushroom caps that form spores
• kingdom – categorizing living things by the way they absorb, ingest, or produce food
• leaves – a flat green part that grows in various shapes from the stems and branches of a plant or tree and whose main function is photosynthesis
• mycelium – underground mass of interwoven filaments that collect the nourishment for the mushroom
• oxygen – colorless, odorless gas that is necessary for survival of living things
• photosynthesis – the process by which green plants use chlorophyll and sunlight to make foods from carbon dioxide and water that generates oxygen
• pistil – long central part of the flower that produces the seeds
• plants – multi-celled living things that produce their own from inorganic matter through photosynthesis
• root – underground part of the plant that anchors the plant and absorbs nutrients and water for the plant
  seed part of the plant, usually contained in the fruit of the plant, from which a new plant can grow
• spores – tiny, tiny part of the mushroom that produces new mushroom caps form the spores
• stem – main body of a plant that carries water and nutrients for the plant and supports the leaves, flowers, and fruit of the plant
• stipe – short stem-like part of the fungus that supports the cap
• vascular tissue – the system of tubes that carry resources (water, nutrients, and food) throughout the plant
• yeast – single celled organism that converts sugar to alcohol and carbon dioxide

Environmentally Friendly Farmer – My EFF

• buffer zones – strips of grass, trees, or shrubs that are planted along the edges of fields and/or waterways to decrease the amount of soil erosion (both by wind and water) and water pollution
• corn – a tall green plant that produces large grains, or kernels, set in rows on a cob that yield numerous products that are highly valued for both human and animal consumption
• cover crops – a crop that is planted between growing seasons to protect and enrich the soil
• crops – plant or plant products that are grown by farmers
• erosion – gradual breaking down
• fencing – a barrier enclosing or bordering a field or yard, usually made fop sots and wire, used to prevent entrance or confine animals to a particular space
• manure pit – a structure on livestock farms for the collection and storage of manure
• natural resources – materials or substances that are found in nature and are necessary or useful to humans
• non-renewable – a resource or product that cannot be renewed or recycled
• renewable – a resource able to be restored or make new again
• shrubs – a woody plant that is smaller than a tree and has several main stems starting at or near the ground
• silo – a tower on a farm used to store food (grain or grass) for farm animals
• soil – black or dark brown upper layer of earth consisting of a mixture of organic remains, clay, and rock particles in which plants grow
• soybeans – a bushy plant in the legume family that produces a seed that contains a large amount of protein and is used as food sources for both humans and livestock
• wheat – a plant with thin yellow stalks that produces a small grain that is important in animal feeds and from which flour is made to produce breads, baked goods, pasta

Magical Bean

• biodegradable – decomposed or broken down through bacterial action
• renewable – a substance that can be made renewed or used again
• nonrenewable – a substance that can not be renewed or used again
• soybean – a bushy plant in the legume family that produece a seed that contains a large amount of protein and is used as food sources for both animals and livestock
• legumes – legume plants have trifoliate leave ( leaves with three parts). Peas, beans, peanuts, and clover are all legumes
• nodules – found on the roots of the plant. Home to microbes that convert nitrogen in the air into soil nitrogen
• harvest – process of gathering crops
• combine – a large machine which is used on farms to harvest grains by cutting, sorting, and cleaning grain in the field
• soybean oil – viscous liquid extracted from the seeds of the soybean
• soy meal – powdery edible part of the soybean made by grinding
• soy lecithin – fat that is essential in the cells of the body and can be found in many foods
• emulsifier – a substance that stabilizes processed foods, allows ingredients to smoothly mix

No Soil? Now What?

• uninhabitable – areas of land that are not suitable for people to live or grow crops (deserts, montains, polar regions)
• habitable – a place suitable for living
• arable – land suited for growing crops
• non arable – land where people can live, but crops cannot be grown because it is too rocky, hot, wet, or it has been developed
• hydroponic – the process of growing plants without soil
• nutrients – anything that nourishes a living thing; a substance or material used by an organism to survive, grow, and reproduce
• nitrogen – keeps plants green and healthy
• phosphorous – helps plants grow strong and healthy roots
• potassium – helps plants fight disease
• fertilizer – a chemical or natural substance added to soil to increase its fertility, or ability to grow plants
• aerate – to introduce air into a material
• rockwool – a lightweight material made from spinning melted basaltic rock into fine fibers that are then formed into cubes or blocks

Middle School

Water Analysis

• contamination – to make impure; pollute
• concentration – to increase, as in density; a concentrated substance
• groundwater – water that is under the surface of the ground
• indicator – to be a sign of change
• ppb – parts per billion, a term used to describe parts of a polluting substance per billion drops of water
• source – a place of origin
• spot plate – a tray to hold samples of water or other liquids in an experiment

Corn to Plastic

• biodegradable – readily decomposed or broken down by bacteria
• landfill – a place for burying garbage
• non-renewable – a substance that cannot be renewed or used again
• renewable – a substance that can be renewed or used again

Genetics

• biotechnology – a collection of scientific techniques, including genetic engineering, that are used to create, improve, or modify plants, animals and microorganisms
• chromosome – any of the microscopic bodies carrying the genes of heredity
• DNA – deoxyribonucleic acid basic material of chromosomes that transmits a heredity pattern
• dominate – genetic material that overpowers recessive genes; genetic material that is the stronger trait and are always expressed in the offspring
• gene – unit of heredity in a chromosome
• genotype – internally coded, inheritable information carried by all living organisms
• inherited – DNA material of both parents that is carried to the offspring
• phenotype – the outward, physical manifestation of the organism; anything that is part of the overall structure, function, or behavior of a living organism
• recessive – genetic material that tends to recede or be diminished
• trait – a characteristic

Exciting Eggs

• air cell – a space between the inner and outer shell membranes that increase with time
• albumen – the white part of the egg that acts as an elastic shock absorber and has a high water content
• bacteria – microorganisms causing disease
• candling – a device which is used to judge interior quality by holding the egg up to a light to see the air cell, yolk, and the white
• chalazae – two whitish cords on opposite sides of the yolk which hold the yolk in the center of the albumen
• follicle – a small sac or gland
• germinal – disk a tiny spot on the upper surface of an egg and if fertilization occurs it will develop into an embryo
• oviduct – the organ of a female bird which puts the albumen, shell membrane, and the shell around the yolk
• shell – hard outer covering, as on an egg
• shell gland – a gland that secretes a substance that causes the hardening of egg shells
• shell membrane – two thin layers (outer and inner) inside the shell that surrounds the white albumen portion of the egg
• USDA regulations – United States Department of Agriculture certification that states the eggs have been examined for quality and size
• yolk – the round, yellow mass inside the egg
• yolk sac – the follicle in which an ovum and its surrounding yolk are held until the yolk matures and is released

Bug Out!

• beneficial – helpful or an advantage
• complete – a complete change in form as in a caterpillar to a moth or butterfly, from larvae to
• insect – small animal with six legs
• Integrated Pest Management (IPM) – IPM is a thoughtful 6 step method of assessment, treatment, and evaluation to ensure the least invasive treatment necessary is used to minimize pest damage while protecting human health, the environment, and economic viability
• metamorphosis – change insects go through from pupa to adult
• methods cultural – site selection, sanitation, plant health, rotations
  physical-tillage, weeding, mulching, pruning, traps barriers, flaming biological-predators, parasites, nematodes chemical-soaps, oils, baking soda, repellants, microbials, herbicides, insecticides, fungicides
• pest – something that causes annoyance, damage or harm
• vertebrates – having a spinal cord or backbone

Super Slurper

• absorbency – having power, capacity, or a tendency to soak up liquids
• non-renewable – a substance that cannot be renewed or used again
• osmosis – movement of water through a semi permeable membrane from area of low
  concentration to high concentration
• polymer – a naturally occurring or synthetic chemical compound consisting of large molecules made up of millions of repeated linked units
• renewable – a substance that can be renewed and used again
• saturated – unable to hold or contain more; full
• water-holding capacity – the maximum amount of water a given substance can hold before becoming  saturated

Banana DNA

• biology – the study of living things
• biotechnology – a tool that uses biology to make new things or improve the products we have
• cell – the basic units of living things
• cell membrane – thin semi-permeable membrane that surroungs the cytoplasm of a cell, enclosing its conents
• chromatin – a protoplasmic substance in the nucleus of a cell that allos ceratin molecules to pass through
• chromosomes – a rod-shaped structure, usualy found in pairs in a cell nucleus, that carries the genes that determine sex and the characteristics an organism inherits from its parents
• cytoplasm – living part of the cell inside the cell membrane and outside the nuclear membrane, where much of the work of the cell occurs
• DNA – the hereditary material in cells that contains the instruction for producing the cell and enabling it to function
• extract – procedure to obtain, or remove, a substance by chemical or mechanical action
• filtrate – the material collected after a solution or mixture passes through a filter
• genes – hereditary unit consisting of a sequence of DNA that occupies a specific location on a chromosome and determines a particular characteristic in an organism
• living things – something that is capable of growth, reproduction and metabolism
• nucleus – a membrane bound structure that contains the cell’s hereditary information and controls the cell’s growth and reproduction
• nuclear membrane – double-layered membrane enclosing the nucleus of a cell that allows certain molecules to pass through
• precipitate – solid material that comes out of a solution as a result of a chemical or physical change
• slurry – a watery mixture; a liquied mixture of water and an insoluble solid material
• technology – a tool used to make things better

The Science of Chocolate

• cocoa bean – seed of the cocao plant
• cocoa butter – fatty substance obtained from the cocoa bean
• cocoa nibs – center of a cocoa bean that is used to make chocolate
• cocoa powder – powdery remains of chocolate liquor after cocoa butter is removed
• dissolve – to melt of liquefy; to make a solution by mixing with a liquid
• food scientist – a person who studies all aspects of food development, from harvest to development and manuracturing to packaging
• ingredients – any substance that is combined to make a particular product
• melting point – temperature at which a solid turns into a liquid
• palate cleansing – to clean and refresh the mouth of any previous taste between different substances
• solute – something that gets dissolved
• solution – the mixture that results when a solute has completed dissolved in absolvent
• solvent – the substance in which the solute is dissolved
• soybeans – seed of a bushy plant in the legume family that is grown for food, animal feed, and a variety of other uses
• soy lecithin – yellowish-brown fatty substance extracted from the soybean that is used as an emulsifier in foods to hold ingredients together
• taste test – to try or test the flavor or quality of something by taking some into the mouth
• vanilla pod – fruit of bean of the vanilla plant
• viscosity – tendendy of a liquid to not flow

Primary

Thirsty Stems

• capillary action – the principal characteristic of stems is their ability to move water and dissolved minerals upward, downward, and side-to-side within plants
• flower – petals and pistil of a plant
• leaves – flat, thin, usually green part growing from a plant stem
• root – underground part of a plant
• stem – stalk of a plant or flower

Bee-utiful Relationship

• flower – petals and pistil of a plant
• petal – leaf-like part of a blossom
• pistil – seed-bearing organ of a flower
• pollen – powder-like cells from the anthers of flowers
• pollination – placing pollen on the pistil of a flower
• pollinator – insects that pollinate flowers
• sepal – leaf-like part at the base of a flower
• stamen – pollen-bearing part of a flower

Feast Like a Bug

• beneficial – helpful or an advantage
• harmful – causing hurt or damage
• insect – small animal with six legs
• labellum – a liplike part, such as the tip of the proboscis of various insects, used for lapping up liquids
• mandible – lower jaw of mammals and some insects
• piercing proboscis – a sharp, straw-like tube on some insects used to gather food
• proboscis – a special, slender mouth-part on some insects used to gather food

Popcorn Capers

• corn – a tall green plant that produces large grains, or kernels, set in rows on a cob that yield numerous products that are highly valued for both human and animal consumption
• float -float to stay on the surface of a liquid
• kernel – the seed of a grain
• popcorn – variety of corn with hard kernels that swell up and burst open with a pop when heated
• seed coat – the protective, outer surface of a seed
• sink – to go or put beneath the surface of the water

Walk-Through

Farm Charm

• barn – farm building used for livestock and storage
• farm – land used to raise crops or animals
• fertilizer – manure or chemicals to enrich the soil
• plants – living things that cannot move and can make its own food
• soil – earth or ground, especially the surface layer

Tops and Bottoms

• flower – petals and pistil of a plant
• fruit – pulpy, edible product of a plant or tree
• leaves – flat, thin, usually green part growing from a plant stem
• root – underground part of a plant
• seed – the part of the plant from which a new one will grow
• stem – stalk of a plant or flower
• weed – unwanted plant, as in a lawn

Crawly Critters

• abdomen – the part of the insect’s body between the head and thorax
• antennae – the feelers on the head of an insect
• beneficial – helpful or an advantage
• compound eyes – many small eyes within two larger eyes in an insect
• pheromones – substance secreted by animals to signal others of the same species
• thorax – middle segment of an insect
• wings – organ used by a bird or insect in flying

Little Red Hen’s Pizza

• dairy – milk products such as yogurt, cheese, and milk
• grains – the seed of a food plant such as wheat and corn
• farm – land used to raise crops or animals
• pork – food that comes from pigs
• soil – earth or ground, especially the surface layer
• wheat – a type of grain that can be ground into flour

Forest & Me

• erosion – the process by which the surface of the earth is worn away by the action of water, glaciers, winds, waves, etc.
• windbreak – a growth of trees, a fence, or the like, that serve as a shelter from the wind
• roots – underground part of a plant
• branches – a limb or offshoot of the main stem
• trunk – the main stem of a tree
• leaves – flat, thin, usually green part growing from a plant stem
• oxygen – a colorless, odorless gas that humans and animals breathe (inhale)
• carbon dioxide – a colorless, odorless gas that humans and animals breathe out (exhale)
• photosynthesis – the process by which plants convert the carbon dioxide into their food, with the help of the energy from the Sun.

Pod to Candy

• cocoa bean – seed of the cocoa plant
• food scientist – a person who studies all aspects of food development, from harvest to development and manuracturing to packaging
• import – to bring an item into a country from another country
• ingredients – any substance that is combined to make a particular product
• pod – container for seeds
• property – characteristic or distinct feature of something
• soybeans – a bushy plant in the legume family that produces a seed that contains a large amount of protein and is used as food sources for both humans and livestock
• vanilla – spice or flavoring for sweet foods gotten from vanilla beans

How Does Your Garden Grow

• air – invisible gas, mostly oxygen and nitrogen, surrounding the earth
• calcium – a mineral nutrient responsible for keeping bones and teeth strong
• scientific notation – a letter abbreviation for a chemical element
• nutrients – anything that nourishes a living thing; a substance or material used by an organism to survive, grow, and reproduce
• nitrogen – keeps plants green and healthy
• phosphorous – helps plants grow strong and healthy roots
• potassium – helps plants fight disease
• fertilizer – a chemical or natural substance added to soil to increase its fertility, or ability to grow plants
• soil – upper layer of the earth
• soil testing – analyzing a sample of soil to determine the nutrient content
• photosynthesis – process by which plants use sunlight to make food from carbon dioxide and water
• oxygen – colorless, odorless gas found in the air that supports life
• carbon dioxide – colorless, odorless gas breathed out by humans and absorbed by plants

Contact the Ag Lab Program for availability of labs, as additional time slots may be available on our backup lab.

Please Note:

LAB E services two areas of the northern tier of PA during specific dates.
Lab E – Northwestern, PA (March – June)
Lab E – Northeastern, PA (Sept. – Dec.)

Lab A Scheduled

School

School District

County

Sept. 4-8
Sept 11-15
Sept 18-21	East Hanover Elementary	Lower Dauphin SD	Dauphin
Sept 25-29	South Hanover Elementary	Lower Dauphin SD	Dauphin
Oct  3-5	Nye Elementary	Lower Dauphin SD	Dauphin
Oct 9-11	Conewago Elementary	Lower Dauphin SD	Dauphin
Oct 16-18	Londonderry Elementary	Lower Dauphin SD	Dauphin
Oct 23-25	Woodward Elementary	Keystone Central SD	Clinton
Oct 30-Nov 1	Mill Hall Elementary	Keystone Central SD	Clinton
Nov 6-10	Robb Elementary	Keystone Central SD	Clinton
Nov 13-17	Central Mountain Middle	Keystone Central SD	Clinton
Nov 20-22
Nov 28-30	Liberty Curtin Elementary	Keystone Central SD	Clinton
Dec 4-6	Renovo Elementary	Keystone Central SD	Clinton
Dec 11-15	Hold for Inventory/Restocking
Dec 18-22	Hold for Inventory/Restocking
Jan 2-5	Hold for Inventory/Restocking
Jan 8-12	Hold as Backup
Jan 15-19	Hold as Backup
Jan 22-26	Hold as Backup
Jan 29-Feb 2	Jersey Shore Elementary	Jersey Shore Area SD	Lycoming
Feb 5-9	Jersey Shore Elementary	Jersey Shore Area SD	Lycoming
Feb 12-16
Feb 19-23
Feb 26-Mar 1	Conneaut Valley Elementary	Conneaut SD	Crawford
Mar 4-8	Hold for Wyoming Area?
Mar 13-15	Sheffield Elementary	Warren Area SD	Warren
Mar 18-22	Stanwood Elementary	Hempfield SD	Westmoreland
Mar 25-29	Dubois Area Middle School	Dubois Area SD	Clearfield
Apr 2-4	Quaker Valley Middle	Quaker Valley SD	Allegheny
Apr 8-12	Rolling Ridge Elementary	Harborcreek SD	Erie
Apr 15-19	Eisenhower Elementary	Warren Area SD	Warren
Apr 22-26
Apr 29-May 3	Tidioute Charter School	Warren SD	Warren
May 6-10	Youngsville Elemetnary	Warren Area SD	Warren
May 13-15	Western Beaver Jr./Sr. High School	Western Beaver nSD	Beaver
May 20-24	West Point Elementary	Hempfield SD	Westmoreland
May 27-31

 

Lab B Scheduled

School

School District

County

Sept. 4-8
Sept 11-15
Sept 18-22
Sept 26-29	Royersford Elementary	Spring-Ford Area Sd	Montgomery
Oct  2-6
Oct 9-13	Glenwood Elementary	Rose Tree Media SD	Delaware
Oct 16-20	Lankenau Environmental Science Magnet High School	Philadelphia SD	Philadelphia
Oct 23-27	Exton Elementary	West Chester Area SD	Chester
Oct 30-Nov 3	East Fallowfield Elementary	Coatesville Area SD	Chester
Nov 6-10	Tilden Elementary	Hamburg SD	Berks
Nov 13-17	Dover Elementary	Dover Area SD	York
Nov 20-22
Nov 27-Dec 1
Dec 4-8	North Salem Elementary	Dover Area SD	York
Dec 11-15	Hold for Inventory/Restocking
Dec 18-22	Hold for Inventory/Restocking
Jan 2-5	Hold for Inventory/Restocking
Jan 8-12	Colebrookdale Elementary	Boyertown SD	Berks
Jan 15-19
Jan 22-26
Jan 29-31	Saint Catherine of Sienna	Private	Berks
Feb 5-9
Feb 12-16
Feb 19-23
Feb 26-Mar 1
Mar 4-8	Owatin Creek Elementary	Exeter Township SD	Berks
Mar 11-15	Worcester Elementary	Methacton SD	Montgomery
Mar 18-22	Bradford Heights Elementary	Downingtown Area SD	Chester
Mar 25-27	Fort Zeller Elementary	ELCO SD	Lebanon
Apr 2-5	Loomis Elementary	Marple Newton Sd	Delaware
Apr 8-12	Donegal Primary	Donegal SD	Lancaster
Apr 15-19	Elk Ridge Elementary	Oxford Area SD	Chester
Apr 22-26
Apr 29-May 3
May 6-10	Rainbow Elementary	Coatesville Area SD	Chester
May 13-15	Roberts Elementary	Upper Merion SD	Montgomery
May 20-24	Reamstown Elementary	Cocalico SD	Lancaster
May 27-31

 

Lab C Scheduled

School

School District

County

Sept. 4-8
Sept 11-15	Shamokin Elementary	Shamokin Area SD	Northumberland
Sept 18-22	Shamokin Elementary	Shamokin Area SD	Northumberland
Sept 25-29	Saint Joseph School	Private	Cumberland
Oct  2-5	South Eastern Intermediate	Souteastern SD	York
Oct 10-12	River Rock Academy	Private	York
Oct 16-20	Stewartstown Elementary	Southeastern York SD	York
Oct 23-27	Delta Peach Bottom Elementary	Southeastern York SD	York
Oct 30-Nov 3	Ore Valley Elementary	Dallastown Area SD	York
Nov 6-10	Friendship Elemetnary	Southern York SD	York
Nov 13-17	Shrewsbury Elementary	Southern York County SD	York
Nov 20-22
Nov 27-Dec 1
Dec 4-8	Providence Elementary	Solanco SD	Lancaster
Dec 11-15	Hold for Inventory/Restocking
Dec 18-22	Hold for Inventory/Restocking
Jan 2-5	Hold for Inventory/Restocking
Jan 8-12	Northern York Middle	Northern York SD	York
Jan 16-18	Newberry Elementary	West shore SD	Cumberland
Jan 22-26	West Manheim Elementary	South Western SD	York
Jan 29-Feb 2	Line Moutnain Elementary	Line Mountain SD	Northumberland
Feb 5-8	Line Mountain Middle	Line Mountain SD	Northumberland
Feb 12-16
Feb 19-23
Feb 26-Mar 1	Fishing Creek Elementary	West Shore SD	Cumberland
Mar 5-8	Loganville Springfield Elementary	Dallastown area SD	York
Mar 11-15	Fawn Area Elementary	Southeastern SD	York
Mar 18-22	Northern York Elementary	Northern York SD	York
Mar 25-27	North Hopewell-Winterstown Elementary	Red Lion Area SD	York
Apr 2-5	Clearview Elementary	Red Lion SD	York
Apr 8-12	Rossmoyne Elementary	West Shore SD	Cumberland
Apr 15-19	York Township Elementary	Dallastown Area SD	York
Apr 22-26	Mifflinburg Elementary	Mifflinburg Area SD	Union
Apr 29-May 3
May 6-10	Guilllford Hills Elementary	Chambersburg Area SD	Franklin
May 13-17	Hershey Primary	Derry Township SD	Dauphin
May 20-24	Dallastown Elementary	Dallastown Area SD	York
May 27-31

Lab D Scheduled

School

School District

County

Sept. 4-8
Sept 11-15
Sept 18-22	Trinity East Elementary	Trinity SD	Washington
Sept 25-29	Economy Elementary	Ambridge Arrea SD	Beaver
Oct  2-6	Forest Hills Elementary	Forest Hills SD	Cambria
Oct 9-13	Francis S Grandinetti Elem	Ridgway Area SD	Elk
Oct 16-20	Shannock Valley Elementary	Armstrong SD	Armstrong
Oct 23-27	Queen of Angels Catholic	Private	Westmoreland
Oct 30-Nov 3	Johnsonburg Elementary	Johnsonburg Area SD	Elk
Nov 6-10	Maplewood Elementary	Penncrest SD	Crawford
Nov 13-17	North East Intermediate Elem	North East SD	Erie
Nov 20-22
Nov 28-30	State Street Elementary	Ambridge Arrea SD	Beaver
Dec 4-8	Cambridge Springs Elementary	Penncrest SD	Crawford
Dec 11-14	Salisbury-Elk Lick Elementary	Salisbury-Elk Lick SD	Somerset
Dec 18-22	Hold for Inventory/Restocking
Jan 2-5	Hold for Inventory/Restocking
Jan 8-12	Hold for Weather
Jan 15-19	Hold for Weather
Jan 22-26	Hold for Weather
Jan 29-Feb 2
Feb 5-9	Penns Manor Elementary	Penns Manor Area SD	Indiana
Feb 12-16
Feb 20-22	Portersville Christian School	Private	Butler
Feb 26-Mar 1	Lenape Elementary	Armstrong SD	Armstrong
Mar 4-8	Lenape Elementary	Armstrong SD	Armstrong
Mar 11-15	C.G.Johnson Elementary	DuBois Ares SD	Jefferson
Mar 18-22	Elderton Elementary	Armstrong Area SD	Armstrong
Mar 25-29
Apr 2-5	Harmony Elementary	Harmony Area SD	Clearfield
Apr 8-12	West Hills Primary	Armstrong SD	Armstrong
Apr 15-19	West Hills Intermediate	Armstrong SD	Armstrong
Apr 22-26
Apr 29-May 3	Portage Elementary	Portage Area SD	Cambria
May 6-10	Summit Elementary	Butler Area SD	Butler
May 13-17	Lincoln Elemetnary	Mt Lebanon SD	Allegheny
May 20-24	Warren Area Elementary	Warren Area Sd	Warren
May 27-31

Lab E Scheduled

School

School District

County

Sept. 4-8
Sept 11-15	Choconut Valley Elementary	Montrose SD	Susquehanna
Sept 18-22	Lynch-Bustin Elementary	Athens SD	Bradford
Sept 25-29	Susquehanna Community Elementary	Susquehanna Community SD	Susquehanna
Oct  2-6	Forest City Elementary	Forest City Regional SD	Susquehanna
Oct 10-13	Don Gill Elementary	Wellsboro SD	Tioga
Oct 16-20	Sullivan County Elementary	Sullivan County SD	Sullivan
Oct 23-27	Elk Lake Elementary	Elk Lake SD	Susquehanna
Oct 30-Nov 3	Lathrop Street Elementary	Montrose SD	Susquehanna
Nov 6-10	Northwest Intermediate	Northwest Area SD	Luzerne
Nov 13-17	Chester Street Elementary	Wyoming Valley West SD	Luzerne
Nov 20-22
Nov 28-Dec 1	Westfield Elementary	Northern Tioga SD	Tioga
Dec 4-8	Avis Elementary	Jersey Shore SD	Lycoming
Dec 11-15	Salem Elementary	Berwick Area SD	Luzerne
Dec 18-22	Hold for Inventory/Restocking
Jan 2-5	Hold for Inventory/Restocking
Jan 8-12	Hold for Weather
Jan 15-19	Hold for Weather
Jan 22-26	Tamaqua Elementary	Tamaqua SD	Schuylkill
Jan 29-Feb 2	West Penn elementary	Tamaqua SD	Schuylkill
Feb 5-9	Mahanoy Area Elemetnary	Mahanoy Area SD	Schuylkill
Feb 12-16
Feb 20-22	New Covenant Academy	Private	Tioga
Feb 26-Mar 1	Liberty Elementary	Southern Tioga SD	Tioga
Mar 4-8	Mahantongo Elementary	Tri-Valley SD	Schuylkill
Mar 11-15
Mar 18-22	Drums Elementary	Hazelton Area SD	Luzerne
Mar 25-28	Northeast Bradford Elementary	Northeast Bradford SD	Bradford
Apr 1-5
Apr 9-12	Troy Intermdiate School	Troy Area SD	Bradford
Apr 15-19	Canton Elementary	Canton Area SD	Bradford
Apr 22-26	Mountain View Elementary	Mountain View SD	Susquehanna
Apr 29-May 3	Salladasburg Elementary	Jersey Shore SD	Lycoming
May 6-10	North Schuylkill Elementary	North Schuylkill SD	Schuylkill
May 13-17	EverGreen Elementary	Western Wayne SD	Wayne
May 20-24	Saint John Neumann Regional Academy	Private	Lycoming
May 27-31

Lab F Scheduled

School

School District

County

Sept. 4-8
Sept 11-15	James Buchanan Middle School	Tuscarorta Area SD	Franklin
Sept 18-22	East Derry Elementary	Mifflin County SD	Mifflin
Sept 25-29	Upper Adams Intermediate	Upper Adams SD	Adams
Oct  2-6	Shippensburg Intermediate	Shippensburg Area SD	Cumberland
Oct 9-13	East Juniata Elementary	Juniata County SD	Juniata
Oct 16-20	Central Columbia Elementary	Central Columbia Sd	Columbia
Oct 23-25	St Joseph School	Private	Montour
Oct 30-Nov 2	Cumberland Valley Christian	Private	Franklin
Nov 6-10	Hegins Hubley Elementary	Tri-Valley SD	Schuylkill
Nov 13-17	Linglestown Elementary	Central Dauphin SD	Dauphin
Nov 20-22
Nov 28-Dec 1	Gettysburg Montessori	Private	Adams
Dec 4-8	Indian Valley Elementary	Mifflin County SD	Mifflin
Dec 11-15	Juniata Valley Elementary	Juniata Valley SD	Juniata
Dec 18-22	Hold for Inventory/Restocking
Jan 2-5	Hold for Inventory/Restocking
Jan 8-12
Jan 16-19	Juniata Elementary	Juniata Coiunty SD	Juniata
Jan 22-25	Juniata Elementary	Juniata Coiunty SD	Juniata
Jan 29-Feb 2
Feb 6-8	Mount Rock Elementary	Big Spring SD	Cumberland
Feb 12-16	Newville Elementary	Big Spring SD	Cumberland
Feb 19-23	Oak Flat Elementary	Big Spring SD	Cumberland
Feb 26-Mar 1	Lewistown Elementary	Mifflin County SD	Mifflin
Mar 4-8	Sacred Heart of Jesus School	Private	Mifflin
Mar 11-15	Conewago Township Elementary	Conewago Valley SD	Adams
Mar 18-22	Selinsgrove Intermediate	Selinsgrove SD	Snyder
Mar 25-27	Radio Park Elementary	State College Area SD	Centre
Apr 1-5
Apr 8-12	Shalom Christian Academy	Private	Franklin
Apr 15-19	Corpus Christi Catholic	Private	Franklin
Apr 22-25	W.G. Rice Elementary	South Middleton SD	Cumberland
Apr 29-May 2	Centre Hall Elementary	Penns Valley SD	Centre
May 6-10	Park Forest Elementary	State College Area SD	Centre
May 13-17	Iron Forge Elementary	South Middleton SD	Cumberland
May 20-24	James Burd Elementary	Shippensburg Area SD	Cumberland
May 27-31

Thank you for considering the Mobile Ag Ed Science Lab program to provide a unique hands-on science experience for your students.

Our goal is to be a valuable resource to assist school districts in meeting the Pennsylvania Department of Education Science Standards. To accomplish this goal, our curriculum is developed to address as many Environment and Ecology Standards, and Science and Technology Standards as possible.

To assist you in selecting a lesson from our curriculum that will best benefit your students, we have created a lesson key that provides you with additional information about the lesson:

• E – environment/resource conservation and care
• FS – food safety
• G – “green” (renewable/nonrenewable)
• N –  nutrition
• NR –  natural resources
• P – process and production
• ** – food item consumption
• X – Not recommended for classes >26

As agriculture is our food source, we have many lessons that utilize different food products. We do not have any peanut products on our labs, however, some products we use may have been produced in a factory where peanuts were present. If you have students with food allergies and have any questions regarding lesson materials. Please contact us our Executive Director at cmespenshade@pfb.com.

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Old MacDonald’s Farm

E | NR  New 

In order to adequately accommodate the abilities and learning needs of all students at the schools we visit, we’ve added a lesson specifically designed for Self-Contained Special Needs Classes. An engaging and interactive retelling of “Old MacDonald Had a Farm” helps students discover what farms have and provide to us. The components of a farm are reinforced as students make a “fan farm” by identifying and placing stickers of each farm item on a fan.

These curricular options are available for Kindergarten to 2nd Grade classes. Instead of a science experiment, they offer a 35 minute hands-on activity introducing basic agricultural concepts and scientific information.

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Farm Charm

E | G | NR

An engaging conversation leads students to decide what makes up a real farm. Samples of these components of a farm are placed in a mini zip lock baggie and worn around the students’ necks as a reminder.

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Tops and Bottoms

NR

Students hear a story of a lazy bear and a smart hare that get involved in a deal that has hilarious consequences. This lively folktale leads to a discussion of plant parts and the parts of a plant that provide our food—tops or bottoms. Students plant seeds of a “tops” or “bottoms” plant to take back to their classroom to observe as it germinates and grows.

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Crawly Critters

E

Students learn how to identify insects, as well as recognize that not all insects are pests. Students create their own insect and learn how farmers can sometimes use this knowledge to control insects in their fields without harmful chemicals.

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Little Red Hen’s Pizza

NR | P

A popular food, pizza, is traced back to the farm through the telling of a modern version of The Little Red Hen. Students interact with the story through the use of props, then create a pizza charm that traces all the parts of a pizza back to the natural resources from the farm needed to produce them.

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The Forest & Me

E | NR

Through a sorting activity, the students learn the many uses and benefits of trees in their daily lives…from the clean air they breathe to the food they eat to the homes they live in. Students then create a charm bracelet that reminds them of what trees need, what they provide, and the important role people play in managing this valuable resource.

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From Pod to Candy Bar

NR | P

Students discover the various ingredients in their candy bars that come from plants grown on farms in the US and around the world. A charm is then created to illustrate how farms are essential to chocolate production.

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How Does Your Garden Grow?

E | NR  New 

Through a “visit” to a pumpkin patch, the students learn about what plants need to grow and produce food for us to eat. Not only do they
discover plants need soil, sun, and water, but also about the importance of nutrients like nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium. Students then create a charm with water beads that reminds them of all the things plants need in order to grow.

This curriculum offers a full 50- minute, hands-on science experiment designed for students in grades 1-2.

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Colorful Bean

E | G | NR | P  New 

grades 2-5*
Investigation and Demonstration

Students are introduced to the scientific method as they experiment to decide if petroleum or soybean based crayons produce the brightest color with the least flakiness and best covering power. Students end the session with a crayon making discussion where each student receives a soy-based crayon.

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Thirsty Stems

E

Not recommended for beginning of year 1st grade

In order to answer the problem of how water travels to all parts of a plant, students create a model of a plant, then observe the effects of capillary action. The parts of a plant and their purposes, as well as capillary action, are reinforced with a make and take book.

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BEE-utiful Relationship

E

Students are introduced to the importance of pollination and pollinators in the development of the fruits they enjoy. As the parts of a flower are identified, students create a model of a flower.

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Feast Like a Bug

E

Students become farmers whose crops have been damaged, who then investigate to determine the guilty insects. The different mouth parts of insects is discussed, then students test each mouth part to determine which parts of a plant, if any, are harmed by each mouth part. A distinction is made between beneficial and harmful insects.

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Popcorn Capers

G | NR | P

Students learn about different types of corn and how popcorn is a special type of corn. The properties of popcorn kernels and popped popcorn are compared then used to predict if each item will sink or float. Based on the results, students predict floating ability of other food items, then test their predictions.

This curriculum offers a full 50- minute, hands-on science experiment designed for students in grades 3-5.

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Colorful Bean

E | G | NR | P

grades 2-5*
Investigation and Demonstration

Students are introduced to the scientific method as they experiment to decide if petroleum or soybean based crayons produce the brightest color with the least flakiness and best covering power. Students end the session with a crayon making discussion where each student receives a soy-based crayon.

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No Soil? Now What?

E | G | NR | P  New 

With only 1/32 of our earth’s surface available upon which to grow food, how will we feed a world population of 9.2 billion by 2050? Hydroponics, growing without soil, is one possibility. Students will discover the need for alternative growing methods, then create their own hydroponic growing system to test if plants can be grown without soil.

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The Mighty Smooth Bean

G | NR | P

Investigation and Demonstration
final observations completed back in the classroom

The Mighty Bean

The power of a soybean is revealed to students as they “plant” a soybean in plaster of Paris. Observations amaze students as the soybean shows its strength.

The Smooth Bean

Soybeans are often referred to as “the magical bean” due to their many uses. Students will learn how soybeans grow and discover the various ways they are used in products they use every day. Students end the session with a take home sample of lip balm made from soybean products.

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Glue from Milk

G | NR | P | X

final observations completed back in the classroom
Must have full 50 minutes

Students act as chemists and laboratory technicians as they produce glue from milk and then test the strength of their milk glue against Elmer’s glue using a peel test, tensile strength test, and sheer strength test.

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Cream to Butter

N | NR | P | **

Students make butter from creams with varying levels of fat content to discover properties necessary for butter production. They will also learn about enzymes (ex. lactase) in dairy foods. Label reading will be employed.

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How Well Do You Wash?

FS

Students apply “germs” to their hands and then perform several hand washing test to determine which method of washing most effectively removes “germs”. Effectiveness of removal is measured with a special “glo-germ” light. The need for clean hands while handling food products and the washing of produce will be stressed.

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Snack Attack

N

Students test several popular snack food items for the presence of fat within the snack food. Nutritional labels for all the snack foods are read and the nutritional content of the foods examined in order to determine healthy snack foods.

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Tree Story

E | NR

Students are introduced to tree dendrology where they date two tree samples and identify patterns of tree growth. Various parts of the tree and their purposes are identified. Students examine the properties of two similar trees and learn how those properties affect the ways in which the trees can be used.

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Where’s the Juice?

N | **

Students taste test four different fruit beverages to determine the amount of juice and sugar contained within the beverage. Nutritional labels are read and students reach a conclusion about the nutritional value of the different fruit beverages.

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Pigment Power

N

Using different fruit beverages, students test for the presence of Phytochemicals, naturally occurring plant chemicals that give plants their color and provide health benefits. Students are encouraged to include a variety of fruits and vegetables in their diet to ensure healthy bodies and prevent disease.

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Fungi Fun

P

Students will learn to differentiate living things into different kingdoms as they work as plant botanists to identify the parts and their functions, characteristics, and properties of plants and fungi. Students will conduct an experiment to discover how fungi react, as well as complete a dissection of a mushroom.

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Environmentally Friendly Farmer

E | G | NR

This STEM based lesson allows students to discover several of the ways farmers have been, and continue to protect the environment and natural resources upon which they grow our food and fiber. Student teams design their own environmentally friendly farm to put the conservation practices about which they learned into action.

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Exciting Eggs

FS  | N | NR  New 

Students act as egg inspectors after discovering and labeling the parts of an egg. Students make observations of the egg exterior to compare to quality labeling charts, then record data as the eggs are candled, inspected for freshness, weighed, and measured.

This curriculum offers a full 50- minute, hands-on science experiment designed for students in grades 6-8.

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Steering Through the Chute

E | P New 

Students identify the needs of beef cattle to provide us with byproducts we use in our everyday lives, as well as the animal care to safely transport cattle. Students will be introduced to Temple Grandin and learn about how she was a pioneer in implementing a design to safely transport cattle. In this STEM based lesson, student teams will create their own cattle chutes using the design practices they learned.

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Water Analysis

E | NR

An imaginary town is experiencing pollution in some of its wells. Students collect data as they analyze the town’s developments, predict the contamination source, consider cost factors, test the wells, and draw conclusions which are to be presented in written form to the town council. Importance of responsible care of natural resources and proper disposal of waste and their impact on our groundwater is discussed.

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Corn to Plastic

E | G | NR | P

Two experiments enable students to better understand the concept of a by-product.  One investigation examines the environmental impact of two packing foams:  Styrofoam (made from petroleum) and Eco foam (made from corn).  The next investigation involves students making plastic from corn and comparing it to plastic made from petroleum.

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Genetics

E

Students will learn about dominant and recessive genes and how genetics can determine the type of plant that is grown by creating models of corn DNA using different colored paper clips to signify genes. Applications of food biotechnology will be used.

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Exciting Eggs

FS | N |  NR

Students act as egg inspectors after discovering and labeling the parts of an egg. Students make observations of the egg exterior to compare to quality labeling charts, then record data as the eggs are candled, inspected for freshness, weighed, and measured.

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Bug Out!

E

A discussion of insects leads to the knowledge of beneficial and harmful insects. Integrated Pest Management is explained and students apply its methods to an imaginary field sample in order to determine the course of action that should be taken by the farmer.

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Super Slurper

E | G

Students examine the absorbency of several household products, then investigate the water holding properties of a commercial agricultural product and a pure chemical. The results of this experiment are related to new developments in the agricultural industry and also served as a precursor to the development of disposable diapers.

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Banana DNA

E

Must have full 50 minutes

Students delve into biotechnology as they conduct an experiment to extract DNA from a banana. Through the process, they will learn the basic cell parts, observe DNA, identify the role of DNA in plants, as well as discover the possibilities biotechnology can provide to us today and in the future.

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The Science of Chocolate

NR | P | **

Must have full 50 minutes

Students become food scientists as they conduct various tests to develop an understanding of the properties of chocolate that are essential to chocolate production. The importance of everything in chocolate production from the melting point to ingredient ratios to interaction of ingredients to the viscosity of chocolate are examined.