Pa. Farm Bureau’s Mobile Ag Ed Science Lab to visit Wilkes-Barre in July

Mobile Ag Ed Lab
Credit: Pennsylvania Farm Bureau

LEHMAN, Pa. — While agriculture is Pennsylvania’s leading industry, many of today’s students don’t make the connection between agriculture and the food on their table. Penn State Wilkes-Barre’s Summer Youth Program is seeking to change that by welcoming the Pennsylvania Farm Bureau’s Mobile Agriculture Education Science Lab to campus July 10 to 14.

A mobile agriculture education science lab, complete with all supplies and a certified teacher, the Mobile Ag Ed Lab travels to a different elementary or middle school in Pennsylvania each week. The lab is designed to target middle school students and will be offered at Penn State Wilkes-Barre to students entering grades four through nine.

“What drew us to the Mobile Ag Ed Lab is the idea that not only does it increase students’ awareness of agriculture’s importance in their lives; it gives them a better understand of the scientific process through hands-on experiments and gets them excited about scientific discovery,” said Director of Continuing Education Jane Ashton.

Campers will enter the lab, stationed on the campus, to perform science experiments that teach lessons focused on farms, food, fiber and the environment.

“Each science experiment is designed to emphasize a different aspect of agriculture, including Pennsylvania's primary commodities,” said Ashton. “Students will work cooperatively to solve a problem as they form a hypothesis, collect data and draw conclusions.”

A certified teacher travels with the Mobile Ag Ed Lab to lead each camp in the science experiments. The lab is equipped with all the material and supplies needed for the experiments, and each lesson aligns with the state standards for Science and Technology and Environment and Ecology.

For detailed information, visit www.wilkesbarre.psu.edu/ce/summercamps.