Alternative Farming Systems Information Center (AFSIC). The AFSIC is one of several topic-oriented Information Centers at the National Agricultural Library (NAL). The Center compiles the annual Educational and Training Opportunities in Sustainable Agriculture, a directory of apprenticeships, internships, and educational programs. Other publications useful in educational programming include Sustainable Agriculture: Definitions and Terms; Tracing the Evolution of Organic/Sustainable Agriculture; Sustainable Agriculture: Current Books (an annotated guide); Videocassettes in the NAL Collection Pertaining to Alternative Farming Systems (2 vols.); Great Places to Find Information About Farming Alternatives; and various bibliographies on sustainable agriculture topics. All publications and most services are free. [resources online; high school +]
AFSIC, National Agricultural Library, ARS/USDA, 10301 Baltimore Avenue, Room 132, Beltsville MD 20705-2351; phone 301-504-6559; fax 301-504-6927. Contact Us; URL: http://afsic.nal.usda.gov
American Livestock Breeds Conservancy (ALBC). “The American Livestock Breeds Conservancy is a nonprofit membership organization working to protect nearly 100 breeds of cattle, goats, horses, asses, sheep, swine and poultry from extinction.” ALBC serves as a clearing-house for information on livestock and genetic diversity. Publications include Noah’s Ark Today: Saving Rare Farm Animal Breeds from Extinction, by Carolyn Christman, Elizabeth Byars, and Kathleen McClelland, with four part slide program, script, activities, teachers guide, card game set, poster, List of Resources, and more. See “ALBC Bookstore” for a complete list of publications. [resources for purchase; K-6]
Appropriate Technology Transfer for Rural Areas (ATTRA). “ATTRA is the national sustainable farming information center operated by the private nonprofit National Center for Appropriate Technology (NCAT).” Online publications include Sustainable Farming Internships & Apprenticeships; Sustainable Agriculture Curricula: K-12; and Sustainable Agriculture Organizations & Publications. [resources on line; high school+]
Bio-Integral Resource Center (BIRC). “BIRC is a nonprofit organization offering over 25 years of insight, experience, and leadership in the development and communication of least-toxic, sustainable, and environmentally sound Integrated Pest Management (IPM) methods.” Publishes two periodicals, Common Sense Pest Control Quarterly and The IPM Practitioner, as well as specialized publications, including IPM Curriculum for Grades 9-12 (200 p.), focusing on cultural, physical, biological and least-toxic chemical controls and insect profiles; emphasis is on agricultural, horticultural and garden pests. [resources for purchase; high school+]
The Common Roots Guidebooks: Hands-on, Hearts-on Seasonal Stories, Projects and Activities for the Curious Child. Common Roots Press/Food Works, 1995- . “The Common Roots Guidebooks are designed for teachers, parents, and community members to help create a living curriculum for children that integrates the human and ecological roots of their community.” The series, including The Three Sisters Garden, Exploring the Secrets of the Meadow Thicket, Exploring the Forest With Grandforest Tree, and The Wonderful World of Wigglers, offers hands-on learning activities focused on building a common future. [resources for purchase; k-6]
Extension and Education Materials for Sustainable Agriculture Series. Center for Sustainable Agricultural Systems, University of Nebraska, 1993 - . “A series of volumes useful for traditional classroom instruction, extension meetings with producers, and in-service training of extension agents.” [resources online and for purchase; high school +]
Vol. 1: Extension Materials(from regional workshops) (1993);
Vol. 2: Curricula in Sustainable Agriculture (1994);
Vol. 3: Alternative Approaches to On-farm Research and Technology Exchange (based on national symposium) (1994);
Vol. 4: Everyone a Teacher, Everyone a Learner (from train-the-trainer workshops) (1995);
Vol. 5: Shared Leadership, Shared Responsibility (from train-the-trainer workshops) (1996);
Vol. 6: Future Horizons: Recent Literature in Sustainable Agriculture (reviews more than 90 books on sustainable agriculture) (1996);
Vol. 7: Linking People, Purpose and Place: An Ecological Approach to Agriculture (from the NCSATP Professional Development Program workshops of the North Central Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program) (1997);
Vol. 8: Procedures for Evaluating Alternative Farming Systems: A Case Study for Eastern Nebraska (1998);
Vol. 9: Facing a Watershed: Managing Profitable and Sustainable Landscapes in the 21st Century (1998);
Vol. 10: Small Farming Systems for the Midwest and Reintegrating Agriculture and Community in the
Midwest (1999);
Vol. 11: Urbanization of Rural Landscapes: Syllabus and Teaching Materials from a University Course (1999);
Vol. 12: Urbanization of Rural Landscapes: Second Syllabus and Teaching Materials from a University Course (2000).
Center for Applied Rural Innovation (CARI) (formerly the Center for Sustainable Agricultural Systems), University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Send orders and checks to Chuck Francis, P.O. Box 830915, University of Nebraska, Lincoln NE 68583-0915; phone 402-472-1581; email cfrancis2@unl.edu; URL: http://www.ianr.unl.edu/ianr/csas/vol1-5.htm
The Food System: Building Youth Awareness through Involvement , by A. Harmon, R. Harmon and A.Maretzki. Pennsylvania State University, 1999. 142 p. (Code Number AGRS-79) This guidebook “introduces educators and youth to the concept of the food system, emphasizing interactive learning, skill-building, and using the community as a classroom. Topics covered in the book include food system inputs; food production, transformation, and distribution; food access and consumption; food system outputs; and sustaining the local food supply.” [resource for purchase; grades 4-12]
Publications Distribution Center, The Pennsylvania State University, 112 Agricultural Administration Building, University Park PA 16802-2602; phone 814-865-6713; fax 814-863-5560; email AgPubsDist@psu.edu; URL: http://pubs.cas.psu.edu/
Food Systems Project. “The Food Systems Project, a project of the Center for Ecoliteracy, was initiated to: foster an ecological curriculum, bring an integrated approach to child nutrition services, improve the quality of school meals, create a garden in every school, and support the economic viability of local sustainable family farms.” The Center is part of the Berkeley Unified School District. [resources online and for purchase; middle grades]
From the Ground Up. Green & Growing Environmental Education Projects. Online resource with related lessons; accompanying video and hardcopy teacher’s guide are available. “Created in partnership with Manitoba (Canada) Agriculture and Training.” [resources online and for purchase; high school]
Green Means Series , produced by Ken Ellis. KQED-TV9 (San Francisco, CA), 1998- . “KQED-TV9's popular series of upbeat, short stories about ordinary people whose lifestyles and activities are making positive contributions to the environment.” Segments from Series 1, 2, and 3 include “Green Cowboy,” Jack Turnell manages his ranch the green way; “Colored Cotton,” Sally Fox raises organic cotton in natural colors; “Seeds of Life,” Catherine Sneed creates an organic garden for prison inmates; “Prairie Prophet,” Wes Jackson works to invent the ultimate sustainable agriculture; “Barnyard Biodiversity,” Don Bixby preserves disappearing breeds of farm animals; and “Organic Milk,” the Straus family preserves their farm by becoming an organic dairy. [resources for purchase; high school+]
Healthy Foods from Healthy Soils: A Hands-On Resource for Teachers , by Elizabeth Patten and Kathy Lyons. Tilbury House, 2002. 192 p. ISBN 0884482421. [resource for purchase; grades k-6]
Healthy Soil, Healthy Food, Healthy People: The Rodale Institute’s Interactive Traveling Children’s Exhibit. “Welcome to the world of Johnny Earthworm, where children explore the connection between health and the way our food is grown. Through interactive displays, experiments, and quizzes, children become detectives, looking for clues that unlock the keys to human and environmental health. The exhibit takes children under the soil, onto a farm, and into a supermarket. Kids learn how some farming practices harm the land, while others regenerate the soil and produce healthier food.” Web site includes current exhibit schedule, how to rent, a “healthy soil” glossary, and a “Curriculum Guide to the Exhibit.” [resources online and for rental; elementary grades]
Journey to Planet Earth. Screenscope, Inc. in association with South Carolina ETV, 1999. Based on the South Carolina ETV/PBS mini-series, Journey to Planet Earth , “this Web site transports your class on a trip around the globe to explore the health of three of the world's river systems (Rivers of Destiny), the fate of four of its major metropolitan cities (The Urban Explosion), and the future of its food supplies (Land of Plenty, Land of Want).” Information and teacher’s guide to each segment available at the PBS site below. [resources online and for purchase; grades 5-12]
Montana's Sustainable Agriculture: Farming with Foresight , 2nd edition, by Kerry Wall-MacLane. Alternative Energy Resources Organization (AERO), and Lewis and Clark Conservation District, 1998. “An interdisciplinary curriculum for educators of 4th-6th grade students.” AERO also has published, Satchel:Sustainable Agriculture Training Curriculum Handbook for Educators and Leaders, by Stephanie Rittmann. [resource for purchase; grades 4-6]
Alternative Energy Resources Organization (AERO), 25 S. Ewing, Suite 214, Helena MT 59601; phone 406-443-7272; fax 406-442-9120; email aero@aeromt.org
My Father's Garden, by Miranda Smith. (VHS, 57 mins.) Bullfrog Films, Inc., 1995. “Tells the story of two farmers, different in all details, yet united by their common goal of producing healthy food.” [resource for purchase; grades 7-12]
Population Action International (PAI). “PAI fosters the development of U.S. and international policy on urgent population and reproductive health issues through an integrated program of research, advocacy and communications. PAI seeks to make clear the linkages between population, reproductive health, the environment and development.” Books and posters include People in the Balance: Population and Natural Resources at the Turn of the Millennium; Forest Futures: Population, Consumption, and Wood; Nature's Place: Human Population and the Future of Biological Diversity; and Sustaining Water: Population and the Future of Renewable Water Supplies. [resources online; high school +]
Promise in the Land: Sustaining Our Agriculture. (VHS, 57 mins.) University of British Columbia, 1995. “The video's main messages focus on threats to sustaining a healthy agriculture industry, new practices which contribute to a more sustainable agriculture and agriculture's role in enhancing the environmental, social and physical well-being of human populations.” Available with leader's manual. [resource for purchase; high school+]
Filmwest Associates, email sales@filmwest.com for more information. For information on full curriculum package, contact: Maureen Garland, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, University of British Columbia, Suite 248, 2357 Main Mall, Vancouver BC V6T 1Z4 CANADA; phone 604-822-2492; information & partial QuickTime video at URL: http://videos.cstudies.ubc.ca/agri.html
SAEd-Share-L (Sustainable Agriculture Educators' Share List) , sponsored by the Consortium for Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education. An email listserv, moderated by Nancy Grudens-Schuck; focuses primarily on undergraduate and graduate educational programs and teaching. [resource online; high school+]
Soil and Water Conservation Society (SWCS). “The Soil and Water Conservation Society fosters the science and the art of soil, water and related natural resource management to achieve sustainability.” Educational publications include a Wetlands Activity Guide and the Environmental Adventuresseries, eight educational booklets for 8 to 11 year-old children with teacher’s guide. [resources for purchase; grades 3-6]
Sustainable Agriculture and Wildlife: Piecing Together a Habitat Puzzle. Iowa State University Extension Service, 1995. A youth education curriculum. 345 p. (#EDC 3) [resource for purchase; middle grades]
Sustainable Agriculture Network (SAN). “SAN is the communications and outreach arm of the Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) program. SARE is a U.S. Department of Agriculture-funded initiative that sponsors competitive grants for sustainable agriculture research and education in a regional process nationwide. SAN is dedicated to the exchange of scientific and practical information on sustainable agriculture systems using a variety of printed and electronic communications tools.” Many of SAN’s free Bulletins, e.g. Exploring Sustainability in Agriculture, Tip Sheets, and other publications are readily adaptable for classroom use. Web site below includes the online version of The New American Farmer: Profiles of Agricultural Innovation. [resources online and for purchase; high school+]
Sustainable Agriculture Network, 10300 Baltimore Avenue, Building 046 BARC-WEST, Beltsville MD 20705-2350; phone 301-504-6425; fax 301-504-5207; email san@sare.org; URL: http://www.sare.org/
Sustainable Agriculture Resources and Programs for K-12 Youth. In 2004, USDA-SARE staff published this 15-page guide to sustainable agriculture-oriented educational opportunities for schoolchildren. It features more than 50 programs. URL: http://www.sare.org/publications/edguide.htm.
Toward a Sustainable Agriculture: A Teachers Guide. Center for Integrated Agricultural Systems, School of Natural Resources, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Madison; and Wisconsin Rural Development Center, 1991. Guide “prepared by a task force of farmers, researchers, activists, extension staff, continuing and vocational education specialists, agriculture educators, and others.” Includes teacher reference guide sections, instructional unit, and 21 “classroom-tested” learning activities. Accompanying supplements: Resources for Teaching Sustainable Agriculture and Lessons for Teaching Sustainable Agriculture. [resource for purchase; high school]
Top of Document | Resources and Contacts - Sustainable Agriculture | Resources and Contacts - Related Topics | Selected Books and Web Sites for Children | More Books and Articles for Teachers | About AFSIC | NAL Lending Services
Including: General Agriculture, Agriculture and the Environment, Animal Welfare, Biodiversity, Composting, Food Systems, Gardening, Integrated Pest Management (IPM), Renewable Energy, Water Resources, and Wildlife Conservation.
Agriculture in the Classroom Program (AITC), USDA. “Agriculture in the Classroom (AITC) is a grassroots program coordinated by the United States Depatment of Agriculture. Its goal is to help students gain a greater awareness of the role of agriculture in the economy and society, so that they may become citizens who support wise agricultural policies. The program is carried out in each state, according to state needs and interests, by individuals representing farm organizations, agribusiness, education and government.” Coverage of sustainable agriculture and related topics varies by state. [resources online; k-12]
Agri-Education, Inc. “Agri-Education, Inc. is in the business of providing educators, students, and producers a multi-media approach to agriculture-based information. Programs available cover a variety of topics including parliamentary procedure, conservation, crop production, machinery and mechanics, horticulture, business management, ag safety, and even a byte for the elementary appetite.” Catalog features materials for elementary, middle school/junior high, and high school levels. [resources for purchase; k-12]
Biosphere 2000: Protecting Our Global Environment , 3rd edition, by Donald G. Kaufman and Cecilia M. Franz. Kendall/Hunt Publishing, 2000. 472 p. In addition to this textbook/teacher’s edition, there is a student guide, instructor’s manual and transparency set available. ISBN 0787266078. [resource for purchase; high school+]
Kendall/Hunt Publishing Company, 4050 Westmark Drive, P.O. Box 1840, Dubuque IA 52004; phone 800-228-0810; fax 800-772-9165; URL: http://www.kendallhunt.com/
Bullfrog Films. “Over the last 28 years, Bullfrog Films has become the leading U.S. publisher of independently-produced, environmental videos, that point the way to living healthily, happily, and with greater concern for the other inhabitants of this planet, and for our descendants.” Features children’s and agricultural titles. [resources for purchase; k-12]
Center for Invasive Weed Management - Education: Teaching Resources K-12. [resource online; k-12]
Dig In! Hands-On Soil Investigations. National Science Teachers Association Press and Natural Resources Conservation Service, USDA, 2001. 130 p. ISBN 0873551893. [resource for purchase; k-4]
Digging Deeper: Integrating Youth Gardens into Schools and Communities , by Joseph Kiefer and Martin Kemple. Food Works, 1998. 141 p. ISBN 188443004X. [resource for purchase; k-12]
Food Works, 64 Main Street, Montpelier VT 05602; phone 802-223-1515, in Vermont call 800-310-1515; fax 802-223-8980; email RootsNet@plainfield.bypass.com
Educating Young People About Water. A national review team selected the 141 curricula listed in this database, searchable by grade level, topic and/or instructional format. Purchase information is provided for each curricula. [resource online; k-12]
Educating Young People About Water, Environmental Resources Center, 216 Agriculture Hall, 1450 Linden Drive, Madison WI 53706; phone 800-928-3720; fax 608-265-9203; email erc@uwex.edu; URL: http://www.uwex.edu/erc/eypaw/
EE-Link: Environmental Education on the Internet. National Consortium for Environmental Education and Training (NCEET) [resource online; k-12]
Eco-Inquiry: A Guide to Ecological Learning Experiences for the Upper Elementary/Middle Grades , by Kathleen Hogan, Institute of Ecosystems Studies, Inc. Kendall/Hunt Publishing,1994. 400 p. ISBN 0840395851. [resource for purchase; grades 5-9]
Kendall/Hunt Publishing Company, 4050 Westmark Drive, P.O. Box 1840, Dubuque IA 52004; phone 800-228-0810; fax 800-772-9165; URL: http://www.kendallhunt.com/
Environmental Education Web Resources , Green Teacher Magazine, The Center for Environmental Education, and the Green Brick Road have collaborated to produce this index of environmental education Web sites. [resource online; k-12]
EPA - Kids, Students and Teachers. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The “Curriculum Resources and Activities” section of this site includes units on air, conservation, ecosystems, human health, waste and recycling, and water. [resource online; k-12]
Exploring Urban Integrated Pest Managment: Activities and Resources for Teaching K-6, by Erica Jenkins. Michigan State University Pesticide Education, 2001. 76 p. “The resource provides teachers with background information, hands-on activities, worksheets and resources to help teachers engage the students in real-world learning.” [resource online; k-6]
Facing the Future: People and the Planet - Teachers’ Corner. “Facing the Future strives to educate people about critical global issues, including population growth, poverty, over-consumption, and environmental destruction. We believe there are just and sustainable solutions to all these issues, and that these problems are, in reality, opportunities to invoke positive change...” Site includes reading guides, a teacher’s curriculum guide, a series of Web sites on population and global issues, action opportunities and service learning projects, and educator workshops. [resources online and for purchase; grades 6-12]
Food is Elementary: A Hands-on Curriculum for Young Students , by Antonia Demas. Food Studies Institute, 2001. 152 p. ISBN 0967757401. This site presents “a unique curriculum integrating academic disciplines with food, nutrition, culture and the arts.” [resource for purchase; k-8]
Food, Land & People. Provides “educational resources and promotes approaches to learning which help educators and students in grades PreK-12 to better understand the interrelationships between agriculture, the environment and people of the world.” Works in cooperation with other agricultural educational groups: Future Farmers of America, 4-H, National Farm-City Council, USDA Ag in the Classroom, and Agriculture Council of America. See their Resources for Learning (40 Lessons) and related publications. [resources online and for purchase; K-12]
Project Food, Land & People, Presidio of San Francisco, P.O. Box 29474, San Francisco CA 94129; phone 415-561-4445; fax 415-561-4428; email info@foodlandpeople.org; URL: http://www.foodlandpeople.org/index.html
Future Farmers of America (FFA). Presents an on-line catalog of educational materials; topics include environmental sciences and aquaculture. [resources for purchase; high school]
GLOBE (Global Learning and Observations to Benefit the Environment) Program. “GLOBE is a worldwide hands-on, primary and secondary school-based science and education program. It is a cooperative effort of schools, led in the United States by a Federal interagency program sponsored by NOAA, NASA, NSF, and EPA, in partnership with over 140 colleges and universities, state and local school systems, and non-government organizations. Internationally, GLOBE is a partnership between the United States and 95 other countries.” Site features teacher’s guide and a “Resource Room.” [resources online; k-12]
Green Brick Road (GBR). “A non-profit organization which specializes in resources and information for students and teachers of global and environmental education.” Resources include Guide to Environmental and Global Education Resources, “more than one hundred of the best environmental education resources, with detailed descriptions and ordering information.” [resources online; k-12]
GBR, 429 Danforth Avenue, Suite #408, Toronto Ontario M4K 1P1, CANADA; phone 416-421-9816 or 1-800-GREEN-38; email staff@gbr.org; URL: http://gbr.org
Green Teacher. (published quarterly) “A magazine by and for educators to enhance environmental and global education across the curriculum at all grade levels.” Back issues are available, some on-line: URL: http://www.greenteacher.com/articles.html [resource for purchase; k-12]
Green Teacher, 95 Robert Street, Toronto Ontario M5S 2K5 CANADA; phone 416-960-1244; fax 416-925-3474; email greentea@web.net. [In the U.S.: Green Teacher, P.0. Box 452, Niagara Falls NY 14304-0452] URL: http://www.greenteacher.com/
Growing With Plants: A 4-H EFNEP Youth Curriculum Teaching Nutrition Through Gardening Education. Washington State University Cooperative Extension. Curriculum “provides a blend of plant science, ecology, and human nutrition that helps reestablish children's connection between their growth, the food they eat, and where this food comes from; and improves nutritional practices.” [resource for purchase; elementary grades]
Insects in the Classroom: Bugs as Teaching Tools for All Ages. Department of Entomology at Texas A&M University; Blinn College at Texas A&M; The Brazos Valley Museum of Natural History; and The Bryan Independent School District. (1998) Support materials for this course include online course materials, course activities, lesson plans, and links. [resources online; k-12]
The Leopold Education Project (LEP). “The Leopold Education Project (LEP) is an innovative, interdisciplinary, critical thinking, conservation and environmental education curriculum based on the classic writings of the renowned conservationist, Aldo Leopold.” [resources for purchase; middle grades+]
Let’s Get Growing! A mail order company specializing in educational materials related to gardening, nature, ecology, habitats, etc. [resources for purchase; k-12]
Life Lab Science Program. “Life Lab Science Program is committed to garden-based learning that promotes stewardship of the environment to ensure a sustainable future.” Features an award-winning science curriculum based on gardening. [resources for purchase; elementary grades]
The Living Things Collaborative. Centered at the Franklin Institute Science Museum, this on-line resource includes a Living Things in The Classroom searchable database of plant, animal, and environment materials, and many other youth-oriented links. [resource online; k-12]
National Agricultural Library (NAL), AFS/USDA. The largest agricultural library in the world offers library/reference services worldwide. Although primarily research oriented, the library offers an online links collection called “Youth and Kids Pages in Agriculture,” with information on science fair projects and more. NAL is also home to the agricultural literature database, AGRICOLA, searchable on-line. [resources online; k-12]
National Association of Conservation Districts. “NACD's education catalog contains educational materials and videos, and is available to both districts and educators.” [resources for purchase; k-12]
National Biological Information Infrastructure (NBII) - Teacher Resources. Center for Biological Informatics of the U.S. Geological Survey. “This area of the NBII provides educators, parents, and students of all ages with access to online resources that emphasize the teaching of biology, biodiversity, and ecology. Included are activities, lesson plans, experiments, projects, resources, and references for classroom and home use. [resource online; k-12]
National Council for Agricultural Education (The Council). Publishes a weekly electronic newsletter, the Monday Morning Monitor , as well as Agricultural Education Magazine, a bi-monthly professional journal that often includes articles addressing environmental issues in agriculture. [resources for purchase; k-12]
National Energy Information Center, Energy Information Administration - Classroom Connection. [resources online; k-12]
National 4-H Council. Catalog available of educational materials. Subjects include environmental stewardship, water quality, and the Cycling Back To Nature Series. [resources for purchase; k-12]
National Gardening Association (NGA). Several publications, guides, and videos pertaining to soil and the environment, and youth gardening (all grades). Kidsgardening.com includes a “Teachers’ Resource Room and a searchable database of “Grants and Resources - funds, freebies, seeds, books, Web links, technical support ... the ultimate resource for those gardening with kids.” There is also information on NGA’s Youth Garden Grants program. [resources online and for purchase; k-12]
North American Association for Environmental Education (NAAEE). Offers many resources, including access to The Biodiversity Collection: A Review of Biodiversity Resources for Educators(produced by the World Wildlife Fund) and the three-volume directory, The Environmental Education Collection - A Review of Resources for Educators. [resources online and for purchase; k-12]
Outdoor Learning Resource List. The National Clearinghouse for Educational Facilities’ resource list of links, books, and journal articles on the design, construction, and maintenance of school grounds to support and enhance a school's educational objectives.” [resource online; k-12]
National Clearinghouse for Educational Facilities at the National Institute of Building Sciences, 1090 Vermont Avenue NW, Suite 700, Washington DC 20005; phone (toll free) 888-552-0624 or 202-289-7800; URL: http://www.edfacilities.org
Population Connection. [formerly Zero Population Growth] “Population Connection is a national nonprofit organization working to slow population growth and achieve a sustainable balance between the Earth's people and its resources.” Teaching materials include People and the Planet: Lessons for a Sustainable Future(grades 6-8) and Sharing a Small World (k-2). [resources for purchase; k-8]
Project WILD. “Project WILD is one of the most widely-used conservation and environmental education programs among educators of students in kindergarten through high school... The program emphasizes wildlife because of its intrinsic and ecological values, as well as its importance as a basis for teaching how ecosystems function. In the face of competing needs and pressures affecting the quality and sustainability of life on earth, Project WILD addresses the need for human beings to develop as responsible citizens of our planet.” Site includes information about educator resources, and materials and guidebooks. [resources online; k-12]
Resources & References for School IPM Curricula K-12 , prepared by Pennsylvania IPM Education Program Staff. Guide to publications, videos, and Web sites. [resource online; k-12]
San Luis Video Publishing. Producer and distributor of “high quality educational and training videos, CD ROMs, slides, and books...to be used by educators and professionals in the field.” [resources for purchase; k-12]
School Composting , by Keith Addison, Journey to Forever. Background and resource guide: “These resources cover both composting and vermicomposting (composting with red worms) -- kids love worms! There are resources for both indoors and outside.” [resource online; k-12]
School Gardening Resources , by Keith Addison, Journey to Forever. Guide, with links, to all kinds of gardening resources for schools. [resource online; k-12]
Selected Internet Resources for Science Fairs, Animals in Education and Research, Kids Pages and Animal Careers , compiled by Dr. Richard L. Crawford. Animal Welfare Information Center, 1999 (revised July 2000) (AWIC Series No. 99-01) [resource online; k-12]
Shelburne Farms. This organization sponsors various educational and professional development programs including the Vermont Education for Sustainability (EFS) Project. Two publications are also offered: Project Seasons, a collection of seasonal, interdisciplinary activities and teaching ideas focusing on environmental and agricultural topics [k-6]; and This Lake is Alive, An Interdisciplinary Handbook for Teaching and Learning about the Lake Champlain Basin. [resources online and for purchase; k-12]
Sustainable Environments , by Joe Clokey. (VHS, 34 mins.) The Video Project, 1996. This video “explores the concepts of sustainability, from definitions of terminology to practical and theoretical examples of sustainable environments.” [resource for purchase; high school+]
“Teaching Horticulture and Native American Agricultural Traditions: An Annotated Bibliography,” by Mary Hockenberry Meyer and Anna F.G. Barker. In HortTechnology. Vol. 7, No. 2, April-June 1997, pp. 110-118. Cites curricula and computer resources as well as books and articles. HortTechnology is published by the American Society for Horticultural Science. [resource for purchase; k-12]
Underground Network. Field Expedition Company, the electronic initiative of The Field Museum Department of Education and Outreach. This site is “a unique, on-line soil education project which brings students from diverse communities together on the Internet to participate in investigative studies of their neighborhood environments.” Includes extensive resource listings for teachers. [resource online; elementary grades]
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service For Kids. An on-line resource containing a “Hey Teacher” section that features instructional materials on such topics as biodiversity and endangered species. There is also a comprehensive links list. [resource online; k-12]
U.S. Geological Survey Learning Web. “Dedicated to K-12 education, exploration, and life-long learning. Visit often and explore things on, in, around, and about the Earth such as plants and animals, land, water, and maps.” Units include biology, geology, hydrology, and geography. [resource online; k-12]
Using Land: How People Change the Structures of Land. (VHS) Scholastic Science Place Series, 1995. This video is part of the “Science Place, developed through a collaboration between Scholastic and the nation's leading science museums, is a hands-on, core K to 6 program offering six complete kits for each grade.” [resource for purchase; grade 3]
World Resources Institute (WRI) Environmental Education Project. [resource online; K-12]
WormWoman.com. Worm Composting (Vermicomposting) Resources. “Here you will find all sorts of vermicomposting (worm composting) resources for all experience levels.” Included is information about the publications Worms Eat Our Garbage: Classroom Activities for a Better Environment, by Mary Appelhoff, Mary Francis Fenton, and Barbara Loss Harris (1993; 232 p.) and Worm Café: Mid-scale Vermicomposting of Lunchroom Wastes: A Manual for Schools, Small Businesses and Community Groups, by Binet Payne (1999; 180 p.), both from Flower Press. [resources online and for purchase; k-12]
www.mastercomposter.com . Provides local Master Composter contacts, “Teacher Resources,” a bi-monthly newsletter called Digging Deeper Into the Pile, and much more. [resources online; k-12]
Top of Document | Resources and Contacts - Sustainable Agriculture | Resources and Contacts - Related Topics | Selected Books and Web Sites for Children | More Books and Articles for Teachers | About AFSIC | NAL Lending Services
Amazing Dirt Book, by Paulette Bourgeois. Addison-Wesley, 1990. ISBN 0201550962.
Who Would Want Those Apples Anyway ? by Laura Griscom and Pam Griscom. Share Publishing, 1993. 24 p. “discussions about what shoppers support with their decisions at the marketplace.” [Share Publishing, 3130 Alpine Road, Suite 200-1009, Portola Valley CA 94028; phone 415-851-0731]
Wonderful Worms , by Linda Glaser. Millbrook Press, 1992. ISBN 1562940627. “Earthworms are my helpers, the underground gardeners. We work hard in the dirt in my garden, their home.”
Worms, by Lois and Louis Darling. William Morrow, 1972. ISBN 0688317731.
How Monkeys Make Chocolate: Foods and Medicines from the Rainforests , by Adrian Forsyth. 48 p. Owl Communications/Firefly Books, Limited, 1995. ISBN 1895688329.
Insect Wars , by Sara Van Dyck. (First Books - Animals) Franklin Watts, 1997. ISBN 0531202615. 64 p. Destructive vs. beneficial insects.
One Good Apple: Growing Food for the Sake of the Earth, by Catherine Paladino. Houghton Mifflin, 1999. 48 p. ISBN 0395850096. “Discusses the dangers of past and present use of pesticides, herbicides, and other conventional farming chemicals on our food.”
Soil , by Suzanne Winckler and Mary M. Rodgers. (Our Endangered Planet Series) Lerner Publications Company, 1994. 72 p. ISBN 0822525089.
A Sunnybrook Garden Tale, by Rebecca J. Davis. Rebecca J. Davis, 1993. 32 p. “Addresses the consequences of irresponsible use of pesticides.” [Rebecca J. Davis, P.O. Box 144, Route 1/13, Summit Point WV 25446-0144]
Global Resources: Opposing Viewpoints, by Matthew Polesetsky. Greenhaven Press, 1991. 288 p. ISBN 0899081525. “An anthology of essays that examine the availability of and dependence on the world's natural resources.”
Planting the Seed: A Guide to Gardening , by Suzanne Winckler. Lerner Publishing Group, 2001. 64 p. ISBN 0822500817.
Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) Kid Stuff. Includes “The Top 10 Best and Worst Foods”
URL: http://www.cspinet.org/kids/
For Kids and Teens , National Agricultural Library. Links to USDA and other related sites.
URL: http://riley.nal.usda.gov/nal_display/index.php?tax_level=1&info_center=8&tax_subject=433
Underground Network . Field Museum. Includes the interactive game, Underground Adventure.
URL: http://www.fmnh.org/ua/nettop.htm
The Rodale Institute: Kid's Re-generation .
URL: http://www.rodaleinstitute.org/kids/home.html
Top of Document | Resources and Contacts - Sustainable Agriculture | Resources and Contacts - Related Topics | Selected Books and Web Sites for Children | More Books and Articles for Teachers | More Books and Articles for Teachers | About AFSIC | NAL Lending Services
“33 Internet Garden and Agriculture Sites,” by Margery Weitkamp. CSTA Journal (California Science Teachers Association). (Winter 2000) pp. 12-14. [teaching materials; k-12] Journal information: http://www.cascience.org/journal.html
4-H Wetland Wonders: A Water Quality Curriculum for Grades 4 and 5. Leader Guide. Corvallis: Oregon State University, Extension Service, 1998. 84 p. [teaching materials; grades 4-5]
“Adolescents’ Perspectives and Food Choice Behaviors in Terms of the Environmental Impacts of Food Production Practices: Application of a Psychosocial Model,” by M. M. Bissonnette and I. R. Contento. Journal of Nutrition Education. Vol. 33, no. 2 (March 2001-April 2001): pp. 72-82. Journal information: http://www.jneb.org/
“Agricultural Biodiversity,” by Jim Postance. Green Teacher. Vol. 56 (Fall 1998): pp. 31-35. [teaching materials; primary grades] Journal information: http://www.greenteacher.com/
Agriculture’s Role in K-12 Education: Proceedings of a Forum on the National Science Education Standards. Washington: National Academy of Sciences - National Research Council, Board on Agriculture, 1998. 55 p.
Agriculture and the Environment Teacher’s Guide, by Linda Maston McMurry. Park Ridge IL: American Farm Bureau Foundation for Agriculture, 1999. 31 p. [teaching materials; grades 6-9]
“Aquatic Food Chain Game Teacher Page,” by Eric Rensel and Roy Boyle. PAEE Journal (Pennsylvania Alliance for Environmental Education). Vol. 6, no. 2 (September 1998): pp. 6-7 . [teaching materials; k-12] Journal information: http://members.tripod.com/~paee/journal.html
“At Home on the Range: Teaching Lessons on the Land,” by Brenda Biondo. Nature Conservancy. Vol. 49, no. 1 (January-February 1999): pp. 12-17. Journal information: http://nature.org/
Closing the Loop: Exploring Integrated Waste Management and Resource Conservation, Kindergarten Through Grade Six 2000 Edition, by Olga Clymire. Sacramento: California Integrated Waste Management Board, 2000. 690 p. [teaching materials; k-6]
Consider the Earth: Environmental Activities for Grades 4-8. Second Edition, by Julie M. Gates. Englewood CO: Teacher Ideas Press/Libraries Unlimited, Inc., 1999. 245 p. [teaching materials; grades 4-8]
“Creating a Down-to-Earth Approach to Teaching Science, Math and Technology,” by Robert Williamson and Ellen Smoak. Journal of Extension, Vol. 37, no. 3 (June 1999). Journal article online: http://www.joe.org/joe/1999june/iw3.html
“Designing an Illustrated Food Web to Teach Ecological Concepts: Challenges and Solutions,” by Celia M. Godkin. Journal of Biocommunication. Vol. 26, no. 1 (1999): pp. 2-11. Journal information: http://www.jbiocommunication.org/
“Digging Deeper with Trees.” Growing Ideas: A Journal of Garden-Based Learning. Vol. 12, no. 1 (January 2001): pp. 10-11. [teaching materials; elementary grades] Journal information: http://www.kidsgardening.com/teachers.asp
“Dirty Hands: Schools are Finding a Range of Teaching Opportunities in the Garden,” by Barbara Hall. Washington Post Magazine. (July 1999) pp. 35-39. Journal information: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-adv/archives/
“Eat Your Weedies!” by James Duke. Nature Study. Vol. 50, no. 1-2 (2001): pp. 18-19. Journal information: http://www.nature-study.org/
“The Effect of an Interdisciplinary Garden Program on the Environmental Attitudes of Elementary School Students,” by S. M. Skelly and J. M. Zajicek. HortTechnology. Vol. 8, no. 4 (October 1998-December 1998): pp. 579-83. Journal information: http://www.ashs.org/horttech.asp
“An Evaluation of a Childrens Garden in Developing a Greater Sensitivity of the Environment in Preschool Children,” by K. S. Midden and J. Chambers. HortTechnology. Vol. 10, no. 2 (April 2000-June 2000): pp. 385-90. Journal information: http://www.ashs.org/horttech.asp
Exploring the Environment Through Children’s Literature: An Integrated Approach, by Carol M. Butzow and John W. Butzow. Englewood CO: Teacher Ideas Press/Libraries Unlimited, Inc., 1999. 163 p. [teaching materials; elementary grades]
“First-rate Crops from Second-rate Water: Classroom Activities Model a Real-world Problem,” by Barbara Zinn, Sara Gnut, and Uzi Kafkafi. Science Activities. Vol. 35, no. 4 (Winter 1999): pp. 27-30. [teaching materials; high school] Journal information: http://www.heldref.org/
“The Flowering of the Suburbs: Common Land and Community Farming,” by Brian Donahue. Orion Afield: Working for Nature and Community. Vol. 4, no. 1 (Winter 1999-Winter 2000): pp. 25-28. Journal information: http://www.orionsociety.org/pages/oa/index_oa.html
Food and My World: My Health My World, by Barbara Tharp and others. Houston TX; Washington DC: Baylor College of Medicine; The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences and The National Center for Research Resources, 2000. 124 p. [teaching materials; k-4]
“Fungi: Strongmen of the Underground,” by Patricia D. Morrell and Jeffrey J. Morrell. American Biology Teacher. Vol. 61, no. 1 (January 1999): pp. 54-55. [teaching materials; high school] Journal information: http://www.nabt.org/sup/publications/
Greening School Grounds: Creating Habitats for Learning, edited by Tim Grant and Gail Littlejohn. Lewiston NY: Green Teacher, 2001. 136 p. [teaching materials; elementary grades]
“Growing a Forest for the Trees,” Growing Ideas: A Journal of Garden-based Learning. Vol. 12, no. 1 (January 2001): pp. 6-7. [teaching materials; grade 4] Journal information: http://www.kidsgardening.com/teachers.asp
“Habitat Gardening - How Schoolyards Are Being Transformed into Wildlife Sanctuaries,” by Niall Dunne. Plants and Gardens News. Vol. 15, no. 4 (Winter 2000). Journal information: http://www.bbg.org/
“How Nature Helps Children,” by William Crane. Montessori Life. Vol. 13, no. 3 (Summer 2001): pp. 22-24. Journal information: http://www.amshq.org/
“Impact of Sustainable Agriculture on Secondary School Agricultural Education Teachers and Programs in the North Central Region,” by Kehinde Aderemi Ajaiyeoba Agbaje, Robert A. Martin, and David L. Williams. Journal of Agricultural Education. Vol. 42, no. 2 (2001): pp. 38-45. Journal articles online: http://pubs.aged.tamu.edu/jae/
“Integrating Science, Mathematics, and Sociology in an Inquiry-based Study of Changing Population Density,” by Richard M. Schlenker and Karl R. Schlenker. Science Activities. Vol. 36, no. 4 (Winter 2000): pp. 16-19. [teaching materials; k-12] Journal information: http://www.heldref.org/
“Integrating Sustainable Agriculture into the Classroom,” by D. Williams. Agricultural Education Magazine. Vol. 73, no. 5 (March-April 2001): pp. 26-27. Journal information: http://www.teamaged.org/magazine.cfm
“Investigating Decomposition and the Soil Community Using Soil Microcosms,” by Janet R. Mihuc and Don Streubel. American Biology Teacher. Vol. 61, no. 8 (October 1999): pp. 612-15. [teaching materials; high school] Journal information: http://www.nabt.org/sup/publications/
Kids, Crops, and Critters in the Classroom: An Agricultural Literacy Resource Guide for Grades 4-6. Bloomington: Illinois Farm Bureau, 2000. 371 p. [teaching materials; grades 4-6]
Kids, Crops, and Critters in the Classroom: An Agricultural Literacy Resource Guide for Grades K-3. Bloomington: Illinois Farm Bureau, 2000. 304 p. [teaching materials; k-3]
Learn and Play in the Garden: Games, Crafts and Activities for Children, by Meg Herd. Lake Forest IL: Forest House Publishing, 1999. 128 p. [teaching materials; primary grades]
“Learning About Desertification,” by Friederike Knabe. Green Teacher. Vol. 57 (Winter 1998-1999): pp. 12-14. [teaching materials; k-12] Journal information: http://www.greenteacher.com/
“New Growth: Planting the Seeds of Hope on Chicago’s West Side,” by Chris Larson. Orion Afield: Working for Nature and Community. Vol. 3, no. 3 (Summer 1999): pp. 28-31. Journal information: http://www.orionsociety.org/pages/oa/index_oa.html
“Perceptions of Sustainable Agriculture: A Longitudinal Study of Young and Potential Producers,” by Julia A. Gamon and Gaylan G. Scofield. Journal of Agricultural Education. Vol. 39, no. 1 (1998): pp. 63-72. Journal articles online: http://pubs.aged.tamu.edu/jae/
“Rationale for Research on Including Sustainable Agriculture in the High School Agricultural Education Curriculum,” by David L. Williams and Awoke D. Dollisso. Journal of Agricultural Education. Vol. 39, no. 3 (1998): pp. 51-56. Journal articles online: http://pubs.aged.tamu.edu/jae/
“Reactions to a New Technology: Students’ Ideas About Genetically Engineered Foodstuffs,” by Ruaraidh Hill and others. Research in Science and Technological Education. Vol. 16, no. 2 (November 1998): pp. 203-16. Journal information: http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals/carfax/02635143.html
Reduce, Reuse, Recycle: An ESL Textbook/Workbook [In Four Volumes]: (1) Teaching Guide; (2) Edition A - Key Vocabulary Words Translated into 6 Languages: Hmong, Laotian, Korean, Cambodian, Vietnamese, Chinese; (3) Edition B - Key Vocabulary Words Translated into 6 Languages: Spanish, Somali, Russian, Farsi, Bosnian, Arabic; (4) Edition C - Key Vocabulary Words Translated in 6 Languages: Spanish, Russian, Bosnian, Somali, Vietnamese, Hmong, by Charles LaRue. St. Paul: Minnesota Literacy Council, 1998. 348 p. [teaching materials; k-12]
“Reviving Andean Culture,” by Nestor Chambi Pacoricona and Laura Inouye. Journal of Family Life: A Quarterly for Empowering Families. Vol. 4, no. 4 (1998): pp. 32-33. Journal information (current title - Journal for Living): http://www.jflmag.com/
“School Gardening: Improving Environmental Attitudes of Children Through Hands-on Learning,” by T. M. Waliczek and J. M. Zajicek. Journal of Environmental Horticulture. Vol. 17, no. 4 (December 1999): pp. 180-184. Journal information: http://www.anla.org/research/journal/
“The Schoolyard Learning Movement Runs Deep,” by Stephen R. Coffee. Clearing. Vol. 100 (January-February 1998): pp. 8-10. Journal information: http://home.teleport.com/~clearing/
“Schoolyard Lessons: More and More Schools are Finding Ways to Take Education Outdoors,” by Suzie Boss. Northwest Education. Vol. 6, no. 4 (Summer 2001): pp. 37-38. Journal articles online: http://www.nwrel.org/nwedu/
“Student Attitudes Toward Animal-derived Products and Services and How They Affect Society and the Environment,” by Patricia A. Nordstrom and others. Journal of Agricultural Education. Vol. 40, no. 4 (1999): pp. 10-19. Journal articles online: http://pubs.aged.tamu.edu/jae/
“Students’ Knowledge of and Expected Impact from Sustainable Agriculture,” by David L. Williams. Journal of Agricultural Education. Vol. 41, no. 2 (2000): pp. 19-24. Journal articles online: http://pubs.aged.tamu.edu/jae/
“Successful School Composting,” by Rhea Dawn Mahar. Green Teacher. Vol. 64 (Spring 2001): pp. 15-18. Journal information: http://www.greenteacher.com/
Where Are the Gardens in the Garden State? Middle School Lessons on Sustainable Agriculture and Farmland Preservation, by Loris Chen. Union NJ: Global Learning, Inc., 1998. 93 p. [teaching materials; middle grades]
Worms, Worms, and Even More Worms: A Vermicomposting Guide for Teachers, Sacramento: California Integrated Waste Management Board, 1999. 126 p. [teaching materials; k-12]
“You Learn What You Eat: Cognition Meets Nutrition in Berkeley Schools,” by David Sobel. Orion Afield: Working for Nature and Community. Vol. 5, no. 3 (Summer 2001): pp. 10-13. Journal information: http://www.orionsociety.org/pages/oa/index_oa.html
The Alternative Farming Systems Information Center, National Agricultural Library
The Alternative Farming Systems Information Center (AFSIC) is one of several centers at the National Agricultural Library (NAL) that provide in-depth coverage of specific subject areas relating to agriculture. AFSIC focuses on information related to sustainable and alternative agricultural systems, including new, industrial, and alternative crops. Established at NAL in 1985, the center is also supported by USDA’s Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) program and by the Cooperative Extension Service, University of Maryland.
See our current listing of AFSIC information products. Many also available in printed copy.
For further information:
Alternative Farming Systems Information Center
National Agricultural Library, ARS, USDA
10301 Baltimore Avenue, Room 132
Beltsville MD 20705-2351
phone: 301-504-6559; fax: 301-504-6927
Contact Us
Web site: http://afsic.nal.usda.gov
The use of trade, firm, or corporation names in these pages is for the information and convenience of the reader. Such use does not constitute an official endorsement or approval by the Alternative Farming Systems Information Center, the U.S.D.A., or the Agricultural Research Service of any product or service to the exclusion of others that may be suitable.
Top of Document | Resources and Contacts - Sustainable Agriculture | Resources and Contacts - Related Topics | Selected Books and Web Sites for Children | More Books and Articles for Teachers | About AFSIC | NAL Lending Services
Alternative Farming Systems Information Center
National Agricultural Library
The Alternative Farming Systems Information Center. Contact Us
http://www.nal.usda.gov/afsic/AFSIC_pubs/k-12.htm, July 2002