Author: Chiara Christine Velotta

Publisher:

Published: 2012

Total Pages: 140

ISBN-13:

Agriculture plays a vital role throughout this nation, affecting each member of every community. However, there is an increasing gap in the public's knowledge about agriculture. At the University of Nevada, Reno (UNR) an agriculture literacy internship was developed and offered to undergraduates across disciplines to incorporate service learning as part of their education, as well as to enhance elementary students' understanding of agriculture. Using lessons selected from Agriculture in the Classroom's Food, Land and People curriculum, undergraduates developed innovative activities that integrated agriculture with elementary core curricula. Undergraduates presented these lessons in elementary classrooms at four weekly sessions for one hour each. One thousand and eleven elementary students from 65 Washoe County elementary classes grades 1 through 6 participated in the program. Twenty-seven undergraduates visited these classes during spring, summer and fall 2011 and January 2012. Elementary student knowledge gains were assessed using pre- and post-test data collected before and following lessons. Paired t-tests showed significant gains for all grade groups. Regression analyses showed substantial post-test gains that were comparable across grades, teachers, schools and teaching delivery among intern pairs. Results suggest that undergraduate student interns can be used to improve agriculture literacy in elementary students.