In our bean-themed professional development session, we demonstrated lessons for all grade levels that not only explored Minnesota grown beans (soybeans, pinto beans, kidney beans, and more!) but also investigated how beans are used in Minnesota, the US and the world.
MAITC joined Joe Smentek from the Minnesota Soybean Growers Association, Shane Frederick from the Specialty Soya and Grains Alliance, and Mitch Coulter from the Northarvest Bean Growers Association to share specific examples of how, where, and why Minnesota beans are traded and exported around the world.
Bean-Themed Lessons
Explore knowledge about beans in your classroom with these bean-themed lessons:
- Bean Seed Cycle (Grades K-2)
- Students explore how soybeans are grown by farmers, examine seed anatomy through a seed dissection activity, and observe the germination of a soybean plant.
- Cultures, Food and Communities Around the World (Grades K-2)
- Students explore different cultures around the world, compare worldwide communities with local communities, and explain the interrelationship between the environment and community development.
- Global Trade and Interdependence (Grades 9-12)
- Students will examine the impacts of the Columbian Exchange and identify the economic and cultural impacts of contemporary global agricultural trade. They will also explore how food choices influence patterns of food production and consumption.
- The Columbian Exchange of Old and New World Foods (Grades 9-12)
- Students explore New World and Old World food origins to discover how the Columbian Exchange altered people’s lives worldwide.
- Big Deal About Ag (Grades 9-12)
- Discover how technological advances and economic forces influence the size of farms in the United States. Evaluate the pros and cons of large-scale agriculture for the production of our food, fuel and fiber and identify the similarities and differences in commercial vs subsistence farming.
Additional Bean Resources
- Bean Personality Quiz
- Northarvest Beans 10 Bean Classes
- Soybean Commodity Page
- Bean Seed Fun Activity
Future Professional Development Opportunities
Minnesota Agriculture in the Classroom leads professional development workshops for K-12 teachers, pre-service teachers, agriculture producers, and volunteers at colleges and conferences around the state every year. These professional development opportunities occur on a bi-monthly basis featuring a variety of topics. Sign up for our newsletter to stay connected with our team on future training and events.
We also offer customized workshops that provide opportunities to gain resources and ideas for embedding authentic agricultural examples within science, social studies, math, language arts and health/nutrition curricula. Contact MAITC staff to request an in-person or virtual workshop for your group.