Exciting Agventures with Corn
Target Grade Level / Age Range:
3-5
Time:
1 hour
Purpose:
Students will learn the importance of corn production to Iowa and the nation, understand what
a by-product is and how they are used, and discover the weights and sizes of different
measurements of corn.
Materials:






















A bushel of corn
o A bushel of corn can be obtained at many local farms. Candy corn can be used as a
substitute if field corn cannot be obtained.
Measuring cups
Bathroom scale
Whole ear of field corn for each student
Tootsie Rolls
Frosted Flakes Cereal
Toy car
Toy hamburger, steak or cow
Soda
Fruit snacks
Canned fruit
Corn nuts
Doritos or other corn chips
Taco shells
Salad dressing
Oats and Honey granola bar
Pure corn oil
Pure corn starch
Chocolate pudding mix
Cornbread mix or Corn muffin mix
Infant formula
Biodegradable corn plastic or packing peanuts
Suggested Companion Resources

Iowa Ag Today
Vocabulary





Kernel – the softer and sometimes edible seed on an ear of corn
Yield – the amount of grain produced from a corn plant. In corn, this would be kernels per ear
times ears per plant.
Ear – The part of the corn plant that holds the kernels
Starch – an odorless and tasteless substance that occurs in plant tissue and functions to store
carbohydrates. It is an important part of the human diet. The starch in corn can be found in the
white part of the kernel, or the endosperm.
Biodegradable – a substance capable of being decomposed by bacteria or other living
organisms. Corn is used to make biodegradable packing peanuts.
Interest Approach or Motivator
This hands-on activity will have students measuring and counting all things corn. Students will
also have the opportunity to explore the many products that include corn as an ingredient, and through
that understand the importance of corn grown in Iowa.
Background – Agricultural Connections
Iowa is the #1 corn producing state in America, and corn is Iowa’s #1 most produced crop. Many
farmers in Iowa grow corn in rotation with soybeans. Iowa is a top producer of soybeans as well. Corn
can be used for many things, including corn starch, ethanol and corn syrup. It is important to note that
the vast majority of corn grown in Iowa and the U.S. is field corn, or yellow dent corn. It is different the
kind that we eat on the cob, which is sweet corn. Sweet corn is primarily used for human consumption
and is often eaten off the cobb. Field corn is used for ethanol production and livestock feed, or is further
processed into high fructose corn syrup, cereals, and corn chips.
Procedures
1. Use a bushel of corn, a bathroom scale and measuring cups to explore the weight of corn. Have
students guess how much the bushel weighs (56 lbs is average). Then, have the students weigh
the bushel with the scale. Have students scoop a cup of corn out of the bushel, and estimate
how much it weights. Then, weigh it, and compare that to the bushel. How many cups are there
in the whole bushel? Weigh other classroom materials, like books or pencils, to compare them
with the weights of the corn. What weighs around the same as a cup of corn? How does the
weight of your pencil compare to a teaspoon of corn?
2. Give an ear of corn to each student and have them estimate the number of kernels on their ear.
Then, have them count the number or rows in the ear and record the number they get.
Compare the row numbers as a class. Are there any similarities or patterns? If age appropriate,
have students count the number of kernels per ear. This can relate to the yield of the plant. The
higher the yield, or the amount of grain per plant, the more products can be made from that
plant. A higher yielding plant is a more efficient user of resources.
3. Introduce the many different products containing corn (Coca Cola, corn syrup, corn chips, corn
bread, corn flakes, gasoline with ethanol, packing peanuts, etc.). Have the students examine the
products and guess what corn ingredients are in the product.
Essential Files (maps, charts, pictures, or documents)

Chart of products made from corn:
http://www.ncga.com/uploads/useruploads/cornusesposter.pdf
Did you know? (Ag facts)






The average yield for a corn field in Iowa is 168 bushels per acre.
An acre is roughly the size of a football field.
Distillers Grains, a by-product of ethanol production, can be fed to cattle and hogs.
There are about 90 million acres in the U.S. devoted to corn production, and corn is grown in all
50 states.
The U.S. produces about 40% of the world’s corn.
Corn’s ancestor is a grass called teosinte, which originated in Mexico.
Extension Activities

Incorporate products that do not contain corn ingredients into the lesson (peanuts, vegetables,
canned fruit, dried cranberries, etc.). Have students sort out the products that do not have corn
in them from products that do.
Sources/Credits
Author(s)
Erin Murty
Organization Affiliation
Grundy County Agriculture in the Classroom
Agriculture Literacy Outcomes


Plants and Animals for Food, Fiber & Energy Outcomes
o Health: Identify examples of feed/food products eaten by animals and people
Culture, Society, Economy & Geography Outcomes
o Social Studies: Identify plants and animals grown locally that are used for food, clothing,
shelter and landscapes
o
Social Studies: Explain the value of agriculture and how it is important in daily life
Education Content Standards

Common Core Connections




K.CC.C.6 Identify whether the number of objects in one group is greater than, less than, or equal
to the number of objects in another group, e.g., by using matching and counting strategies.
21.K–2.ES.5 Essential Concept and/or Skill: Work productively and are accountable for their
actions.
3.MD.A.2 Measure and estimate liquid volumes and masses of objects using standard units of
grams (g), kilograms (kg), and liters (l).
3.MD.A.2 Measure and estimate liquid volumes and masses of objects using standard units of
grams (g), kilograms (kg), and liters (l).15 Add, subtract, multiply, or divide to solve one–step
word problems involving masses or volumes that are given in the same units, e.g., by using
drawings (such as a beaker with a measurement scale) to represent the problem.16