Looking to create an interactive experience for your students that allows them to dive deeper into their classroom content and learn about Minnesota agriculture?
You’ve come to the right place! Learn the 3 easy steps it takes to create a Farm Camp experience below.
Farm Camp Minnesota bridges classroom learning to an on-farm experience. That means your students will be able to engage first-hand with a farm or agricultural business. And what’s even better is the meaningful connection they will build to what they are learning in the classroom as well as with the real world.
(Psst…Farm Camp is not just another field trip! It’s not?? Nope! Learn more about what makes a Farm Camp different than just a field trip.)
How does an educator get started?
There are really only 3 steps to take to get your Farm Camp experience started:
Step 1: Brainstorm
Agriculture can tie to almost any classroom subject, topic, area of study. First, you want to think about your specific classroom and its content. What do you already teach that could really go deeper with an on-farm experience? Remember, Farm Camps can be in-person or virtual (learn more about different Farm Camp options here).
Go through your classroom content and make a list of agricultural connections.
Step 2: Connect
Once you have some ideas, it’s time to start connecting with people to make your Farm Camp vision a reality! There are 2 routes to go to begin connecting with others about your Farm Camp idea:
>> Contact a farmer directly.
Take a look at your brainstorm list and see if there is a local agriculture connection to a few of your topics.
For example: If you know that you teach about genetics in your Science class. Reach out to a local cattle rancher to see if they would be willing to give a tour and share with the class how important genetics is when raising cattle.
If you have connections in your area with farmers that you want to connect with, we encourage you to seek them out! And be prepared, farmers will be thrilled that you want them to share their agriculture story.
>> Contact our Farm Camp Program Director
You’ve got an idea and we’ve got connections all around the state! We’d love to help find a connection for you and to get the ball rolling with your ideas. Our Program Director absolutely loves helping you craft these events and hearing about your students’ reactions! We are here to help! Connect with our Program Director to get started!
Step 3: Get Started
Once your AgHost (farmer or ag business) says “Let’s do this!” you can get started by registering your Farm Camp. What does registering your Farm Camp get you? Resources galore, connected Minnesota Ag In The Classroom lesson plans, surveys to see your students’ growth and MORE! Learn about everything YOU gain when you register your Farm Camp here.
BOOM! Once registered, you’ll get help from our Program Director to make your Farm Camp a success!
If you’re brain is still spinning and need a little creative juice, check out our previous Farm Camp events to see what educators did during our pilot program’s Farm Camp experiences! Let’s get those wheels turning!