The Ag Lab  came to Stewartstown Elementary school November 18 through November 22 in order to teach students about agriculture through an interactive mobile science lab. 

The Pennsylvania Farm Bureau’s Mobile Agriculture Education created an Ag Lab, which is a hands-on science lab. Their goal is to be a valuable resource to help assist schools in meeting the science standards for Pennsylvania. 

Each grade participates (K-4) with a different topic and hands on activity. Students enter the lab to be taught lessons focused on farm, food, fiber, and the environment. 

The kindergarten students did a sorting activity called “The Forest and Me” in which they learned the benefits of trees in the environment and in everyday life. 

The second grade students learned about “Beautiful Relationships” between Pollinators and Pollination. They did an activity where they create a model of a flower, and they (the students) then represented the bees. 

For the Third graders, they learned about  the power of soybeans by planting one in plaster. They then got to take home lip balm made out of soybeans. 

Fourth grade students discovered the need for an alternative food growing method, with “No Soil-No What?” by creating their own hydroponic growing system to test if plants can be grown without soil. 

Secretary at Stewartstown Elementary Becky Swanson said she likes the idea of the Ag Lab because “Students leave the lab with new knowledge and interest of agriculture’s importance to our society.” 

Fourth grade teacher Jennifer Christopher said that she hopes her students “learn something related to agriculture that we might not get to in the science period during the year.”

Students in Christopher’s fourth grade class had an opportunity to answer some questions about their opinion on the Ag Lab. 

One of Christopher’s fourth grade students said that their favorite part of the Ag Lab was“getting to build/make things, fun projects (instead of going to class).”

Although students enjoyed the Ag Lab, they didn’t like the fact that there is such a small space, and there are no chairs so they are standing the whole time.