At the Nebraska FFA Foundation, part of our everyday mission is to invest in agricultural education by “Growing Leaders.” One way we accomplish this lasting goal is to assist ag educators in continued personal growth and development.
Through a variety of both in-person and virtual options, CASE 4 Learning (Curriculum for Agricultural Science Education) provides professional development opportunities for teachers, striving to keep teachers equipped and students engaged. Last summer, over 400 teachers participated in professional development events, or CASE Institutes, that covered curriculum focusing on eight different full-year courses.
Amber Horton, agriculture teacher at Allen Consolidated Schools, traveled to Greeley, Colorado, to attend the NRE (Natural Resources and Ecology) CASE Institute. She spent five days working through lessons and learning how to deliver them in an inquiry-based way that shifts the focus in the classroom from teacher-led to student-directed learning.
Horton was able to utilize a scholarship provided by the Nebraska FFA Foundation and funded by the Nebraska Soybean Board, to participate in the CASE training. Horton is supplementing this STEM-based curriculum by using soybeans as a model, focus, and method for learning. She is implementing this curriculum in her classroom by utilizing soybeans in various segments of the NRE CASE curriculum.
Horton, who has been teaching for 14 years, and in her third year at Allen, chose to attend the NRE program because natural resources has always been a personal passion for her.
“I chose to attend this training because I wanted to have more engaging lessons to offer my students,” Horton explains. “I also wanted to bring the science element to my lessons, which was missing from my previous curriculum.”
Horton already teaches plant science and natural resources courses as part of the fall and spring semesters, so she plans to use the NRE CASE curriculum to teach several new lessons in her classroom. In addition, she will also use the new curriculum when she teaches land evaluation concepts for the area land judging contest.
“I learned how to test water, air and soil for quality measures that will also fit into several of my other courses,” says Horton. “I also learned ways I can bring to life many of the topics and lessons I already teach.”
Horton shares many positives from the CASE Institute, but her biggest takeaway from the training was realizing the opportunity for increased student engagement.
“I realized I can do more science-based labs and hands-on activities than in the past to engage my students,” she says. “It provides plenty of curriculum to make your courses rigorous and contains industry-quality content.”
In addition, Horton also gained valuable networking experience, keeping in touch with fellow teachers who attended the training, giving her the ability to reach out when she has a question or needs help with something CASE-related.
As the agriculture industry continues to evolve, so must the classrooms, curriculum, and educators that prepare our future generations. By prioritizing lifelong learning and professional development of our educators, the Nebraska FFA Foundation is committed to our mission to ensure effective leadership is cultivated for years to come!
