NJ AITC Lessons
NJ Ag in a Box
New Jersey Agriculture in the Classroom (NJAITC) has created a program called NJ Ag in a Box. This initiative will provide teachers with materials to teach a lesson each season about New Jersey's specialty crops:squash/pumpkins in October; cranberries in December; spinach in February and tomatoes in April.
An NJ Ag in a Box will arrive at your school quarterly, filled with a lesson plan, a children's agriculture book to accompany the lesson, materials needed for the entire class to do an experiment or activity, and a set of 30 four-page “Ag Mags” to teach students more about agriculture.
Reach out to us at njagliteracy@gmail.com for information on how to get one!
Click on the lesson title to download the lesson.
Cranberry
The Cranberry Bounce Test
students will test for the bounciness of a group of cranberries, estimating, observing, and separating the cranberries, and using fractions to record results.
Make a Cranberry Catapult
students work in small groups to create a simple catapult, measure the distances their catapult can fling a cranberry, and graph and compare results.
Squash
Disappearing Pumpkins Grades 3-5
Use an old Jack O'Lantern for a decomposition experiment.
How Many Seeds in a Pumpkin?
Children of every age love making Jack-O'-Lanterns.
Pumpkin Seed Packet Math
Planting seeds begins with understanding the instructions on the seed packet.
Spinach
Spinach – A Cool-Weather Veggie
Students learn about the spinach life cycle, when spinach is planted and harvest, and the nutritional value of this leafy green vegetable.
Soda Bottle Hydroponics
Grow plants without soil in your classroom.
All the Water in the World
Show students how little of Earth's water can be used by humans.
Tomatoes
Are They a Fruit or a Vegetable?
New Jersey is known for its tomatoes, which are the state's second largest crop. Jersey tomatoes are famous because unlike tomatoes that are shipped across the country, New Jersey tomatoes are grown for their taste, not their transportability.
Parts of a Plant Game
What parts of plants do we eat? In this fun card game, students learn whether their favorite fruits and vegetables are roots, stems, leaves, flowers, fruits or seeds.
Bees
The Great Pollinators
Students play a game to learn the important role bees play in pollination.