Sheryl Bennett
Sara BhaduriHauck
David Gordon
April Hall Barczewski
Thomas Hutson
Sharon Pahlman
University of Maryland Extension programs are open to any person and will not discriminate against anyone because of
race, age, sex, color, sexual orientation, physical or mental disability, religion, ancestry, national origin, marital status,
genetic information, political affiliation, and gender identity or expression.

Creation of University of Maryland Extension
Impact Teams to address community needs

Identification of ag. literacy as a priority area

Declining U.S. science literacy and career entry


National 4-H Science Mission Mandate –
recruit one million new scientists
Need for agriculture/environmental
educational materials, especially middle school
1.
2.
3.
Increase awareness and appreciation of
agriculture
Increase science literacy and generate youth
interest in science/agriculture careers.
Partner with schools and other organizations
and enable AGsploration to serve as
curriculum enrichment.
Curriculum
4 Units (22 Lessons):
Animals, Plants, Environment, Technology

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SJkaEazL
BdQ
2011 – 27 youth
2012 – 22 youth
Venues for AGsploration teaching include:
 4-H club meetings
 school enrichment and after school centers
 county fairs
 community events
To date, Extension employees, teens, and adult
volunteers have taught AGsploration lessons
and activities to more than 25,000 people.
Pre- and post-assessments of 1,510 youth
who participated in at least one AGsploration
lesson showed that:
 33% better understood the connection
between agriculture and science.
 28%
better understood the role of science in
solving everyday problems.
 28%
better understood how agriculture
benefits their families and communities.
 28%
were more interested in pursuing an
agricultural science career.
 48%
could more easily identify careers
connected to agriculture.
 The
percentage of youth participants who
reported an increase in content knowledge
ranged from 23% to 70% depending on the
lesson.
• Partner with teachers and teen/adult
volunteers in public and private schools in an
effort to enhance agricultural education
• Solicit feedback and evaluations to document
program effectiveness and strengthen the
curriculum
• Now it’s YOUR turn to help youth better
understand science and agriculture!
extension.umd.edu/agsplorat
extension.umd.edu/agsploration/teach
Bookmark this page!
Due to changing state
standards, we removed
the state science
standards from the
lessons and put them in
a single document that
can easily be updated.
All lessons now have a
Background
Information
section with details for
people who are
unfamiliar with lesson
content.
ALL lessons now have
Career Connections
that are reformatted into
easy-to-read bulleted
lists.
Understand the size and importance of the Bay
watershed; recognize the value of Maryland
agriculture to the economy.
Activities: NEW! MD Ag. map interpretation activity
 Color a map of the watershed and identify the
states that contribute water to the Bay
 Prepare a presentation about crops grown in MD
Observe how human activity causes nonpoint
pollution; identify strategies to reduce pollution.
Activities:
 Build a watershed model, develop the land,
pollute it, and observe the effects of rainfall
 Identify ways in which you and your family can
reduce nonpoint pollution
Explain how Maryland farmers and developers use
conservation techniques to reduce environmental
damage.
Activities:
 Match photos and soil conservation techniques
 Design a conservation plan for an area that has
erosion and water quality problems
Conservation plan is now the main activity
Identify wildlife species living in the Bay and its
watershed; learn how species interact with each
other and agriculture.
Activities:
 Match photographs of Bay species with facts
Second matching activity was deleted
NEW! Activity: Classify interactions
between people and wildlife as
positive/negative/neutral
Simulate the effects of pesticides on an insect
population, and observe how the population changes
over time.
Activities:
 Use beans to model changes in an insect population
exposed to insecticides Data table was corrected
 Explore alternatives to repeated pesticide spraying
Simulate the effects of overharvesting on fish
populations; explain the importance of aquaculture
in providing a sustainable food supply.
Activities:
 Simulate the effects of seafood harvesting
Directions and data chart were simplified
 Identify pros and cons of aquaculture
20. What’s in Your Genes?
Learn how to predict plant and animal offspring
characteristics for simple traits using genetics.
Activities:
 Use a checklist to identify some of your
dominant and recessive genetic traits
 Use Punnett Squares to predict the results of
genetic crosses
NEW! Note that basic genetics
knowledge is required; ag-related
genetics problems added
21. Food Safety is for Everyone
Understand causes of foodborne illnesses and
how to prevent it; simulate bacterial growth and
learn proper hand washing techniques.
Activities:
 Use candy or beads to model bacteria growth
 Compare the effectiveness of hand washing
techniques using fluorescent gel or powder
22. Down and Dirty with Biosecurity
Identify several biosecurity strategies; develop a
biosecurity plan for a livestock production facility.
Activities:
 Assess animal health by looking for evidence of
health/disease in photographs
 Create a biosecurity plan for a livestock facility
Objective
 Observe how human activity causes
nonpoint pollution; identify strategies to
reduce pollution.
Engagement
 What do you know about watersheds?



Exploration
Make a landscape
out of aluminum
foil, and trace
potential
waterways with
permanent
marker.
Create a
development plan
and add houses,
businesses, and
agriculture.


Add solid and
liquid pollutants
that might be
generated in each
area of your
community.
Rain on your
model and
observe pollutant
movement.
Explanation
 Show your model to the group, compare
observations about pollutant movement, and
discuss the analysis questions. Define
nonpoint pollution.
Extension
 Research nonpoint pollutants: sources,
effects, techniques for reduction. Share
findings with the class.
Objective
 Observe how human activity causes
nonpoint pollution; identify strategies to
reduce pollution.
Engagement
 Brainstorm ways that human activity could
help or harm the environment. Explain to
students that farmers and developers are
interested in protecting the land and water.
Exploration and
Explanation
 Match photographs
and descriptions of
twelve common
conservation
practices.

Discuss benefits of
practices.
Exploration and
Explanation
(continued)
 Plan and draw a
conservation plan
for a fictional or
real location that
has erosion and/or
pollution problems.


Extension
Interview people
who work in
agriculture and
share findings.
Objective
 Explain how pesticide
resistance can change
the makeup of an
insect population.
Engagement
 Observe photographs
of crops with insect
damage. Discuss
concerns for
agriculture.
Exploration
 “Infest” a corn field
two colors of a
corn “pest.”
 Apply insecticide.
Randomly remove
about half of pests.
Light colors die,
dark colors live.
 Allow all living
pests to reproduce.
 Repeat.
Exploration
(continued)
 Graph and analyze
data.
Explanation
 Discuss observations
and introduce
natural selection and
evolution of
pesticide resistance.
Extension
 Research integrated
pest management.
Objectives
 Compare the effects of human activity on
publicly owned and privately owned seafood
resources.
 Explain how aquaculture can help provide a
sustainable seafood supply.
Engagement
 Brainstorm agricultural products and link to
the seafood industry including aquaculture.
Exploration
 Simulation A:
Fish from a public
pond. Allow fish to
reproduce. Repeat.

Simulation B:
Fish from a public
pond OR a private
aquaculture pond.
Allow fish to
reproduce. Repeat.
Explanation
 Analyze results from both simulations.
Discuss population strategies that could
increase seafood yield.
Extension
 Research various types of aquaculture such as
cage, pond, runway. Present results to the
class.
Objectives
 Learn the importance of good personal
hygiene and proper hand washing practices.
 Identify techniques that reduce foodborne
illness.
Engagement
 Discuss foodborne illnesses and other
contagious diseases. Allow students to share
personal experiences.
Exploration
 Use beads to model
bacteria
reproduction.
Note: Many bacteria
reproduce every 20
minutes.
Exploration (continued)
Apply Glo-Germ lotion to
hands. Evaluate hand
washing techniques.
Explanation
 View PowerPoint presentations and discuss
food safety and disease prevention.
Extension
 Investigate food safety in greater detail by
viewing PowerPoint presentations and
conducting research.
Objective
 Define biosecurity,
identify indicators of
healthy and unhealthy
animals, and develop a
biosecurity plan.
Engagement
 Introduce biosecurity.
Classify photos of sick
and healthy animals.
Exploration
 Develop a biosecurity
plan for one of
several hypothetical
situations or an
actual animal facility.
Explanation
 Present and analyze
biosecurity plans.
Extension
 Investigate real-life
examples of
biosecurity concerns.
Sheryl Bennett – sherylb@umd.edu
David Gordon – dgordon3@umd.edu
April Hall Barczewski – adhall@umd.edu
Tom Hutson – thutson@umd.edu
Sara BhaduriHauck – sbh@umd.edu
Sharon Pahlman – spahlman@umd.edu