Ag Tech Steam – Scalable for all ages

We are so excited about the Content Packs on AgTechSteam.ca and the newly released Ag Tech Steam Boxes filled with fun ag tech and STEAM activities. A question I hear quite often is “What age or grade are they made for?” and this is a great question. 

The answer is simple, all school ages! Every activity is built to be scalable. Younger learners can engage in basic experiments and learning while older or more advanced learners can engage with deeper complexity. Learners can also add their own elements to the activities. We’ve had adults who enjoyed the learning in the Content Packs as much as school-aged learners.

We also get asked if Ag Tech Steam is for farm kids only. That’s an easy and emphatic no! The Content Packs and activities found in the Ag Tech Steam Boxes are for any learner! Rural or urban, familiar with ag or just tech and ag curious. Anyone can have fun learning with experiments and activities.

Grown-ups can enjoy spending time learning as well, whether they are a teacher or group leader, parent or friend. Some activities work best with access to a computer (desktop or laptop, even a tablet or smartphone).

What are some ways to scale the activities? Here are some examples!

Germination testing experiments – younger learners can have fun just planting and growing the seeds, and watching them become bigger plants. Other learners may want to expand their knowledge by testing things like adverse germination conditions (warm or cold), seed depth, and moisture. More advanced learners can plant their seeds and measure moisture data with their moisture meter.

Plant emergence – this is a natural extension of your germination experiment. Plant the seeds! Watch them grow. Add things like worm castings for soil enhancement, change how much water is used, alter lighting and heat. Younger learners can make simple changes and draw what they see, more advanced learners can create a spreadsheet, take photos, and capture data from their micro:bits.

Micro:bits – these micro-processors can be coded with ‘drag and drop’ Java or with text-based coding. Younger learners can do basic coding with them and more advanced learners can use them for other ag tech experiments. Code Club and Kids Code Jeunesse have many great activities available for free to learners of all ages and abilities.

Bug and weed counts – these can be fun for any age. Sweep with a net, build a square and start counting is the most basic way to start learning. More advanced learners can change the time of day for their counts, add traps or attractants, and graph or chart their results. They can be done in the garden, field, patio containers, or even the park!

Each Content Pack and blog post has great ideas for all learners. 

Do you have some ideas? We’d love to hear them! Share with us at agtechsteam@gmail.com or message us on social!