Spiral Bound Journal

A Roadmap for Better Learning

Hi, Ray.

As promised, here is the rough draft for the agriculture module of the high school portion of the US history curriculum. I've gone through a couple drafts to get this to at least a workable state. The FFA data really threw me for a loop.

Agriculture and US Policy
Time Periods and Sample Syllabus

Colonial Compare and Contrast agricultural practices between northern and southern colonies (predominant crops, land management, related businesses, etc.)

post-Revolution/pre-Constitution
          Whiskey Rebellion

pre-Civil War agriculture changes that impacted/influenced perceptions of slavery

Reconstruction and agricultural migration
          Rise of Midwestern cities during agriculture's industrialization
          Agriculture and power/discrimination in early-to-mid 20th Century

Tech impacts on agriculture up to WWII

(sub)urbanization and its repercussions on agriculture demographics post WWII (midcentury)

origins of agricultural subsidies

foreign trade and globalization's impacts on agricultural communities 1960s-present day
          NAFTA

agricultural labor practices
          Mexican migration in 20th Century
          other Hispanic migrations
          influence on and repercussions for education
          taxation

Agricultural (Dis)(Mis)Information campaigns
          Got Milk? ads
          Food pyramid
          organic crops and aspirational elitism
          urban presence of FFA

Sample Project Ideas

poster-based timeline (group poster creation)
Jeopardy-style game show for quizzing taxation principles and milestones
USDA roleplaying exercises
reporting on family farms
ag short film remakes


I freely admit that ag is not my strong suit even though I have learned a bit about it in my time living in Minnesota. I have a feeling the feedback sessions will be tough for fielding comments both from farmers AND urbanites. Suppose I better get more sleep; set some projects on hold; and eat my Wheaties. Gonna have to wash those down with soy milk, though. The Asian half of my parentage kicked in to make my lactose intolerance appear out of nowhere in my 20s. Bah!


~Felicia






Entry 5 in "The Bard's Hall Contest"