The cornerstone of the New Jersey Museum of Agriculture's educational mission is its School Programs which provide demonstrations, themed tours and hands-on activities for students - - pre-K through sixth grade. Over 12,000 students participate in the Museum's educational programs annually, many coming from urban communities such as Trenton, Newark, Camden and New Brunswick. The Museum's School Programs have been recognized for their quality as both a reinforcement to and enrichment of school curricula.
For the past several years our students have been visiting the Museum of Agriculture as part of their Lenape unit. I am happy to tell you that our fourth grade team won a Best Practices Award from the NJ State Department of Education. Below is a copy of one of the sections of the application: Describe how you would replicate the practice in another school and/or district.
This project can be easily replicated in any fourth grade classroom to provide experiences, which teach the Lenape culture while using the NJCCS. The uniqueness of this program is that it can be easily adapted to teach any Native American culture and it can be used at any time of the year at the teachers discretion. Through the participation in the various activities, the students have acquired content knowledge through hands-on, mind-on activities in a manner that stimulated their minds, encouraged creativity and prompted the use of higher thinking and application skills. As one student was overheard to say during a recent field trip to the New Jersey Museum of Agricultures Interactive Lenape Program, I didnt know I knew so much!
Mrs. Linda Biondi, Pond Road Middle School, Robbinsville, New Jersey
"This tour gave my children the background they needed to be actively involved in our class discussions and activities."
Heather Gibbons, Whiton Elementary Preschool
"As an educator, I found your tour to be both informative and enjoyable. The children were involved in all you showed them. They learned a great deal and had fun doing it. What better experience could we have had? Thank you so much for a wonderful day!"
Candy Velez, Burlington Road School
New Jersey Museum of Agriculture School Programs
All About Wheat
Grades 2 - 6
Availability: Late Sept. thru first week of Nov.
10 am 12 noon
This hands-on interactive program will teach students how wheat is grown, harvested, and processed from the farm to the table. Learn how wheat is grown and make a wheat seed necklace. Thresh wheat using a modern version of the ancient flail to remove the seeds from the stems. Winnow wheat using an authentic fanning mill to separate the seeds from the chaff. Take turns at the gristmill to grind wheat into flour. Discover how wheat is used in other foods. Help make, and then eat, delicious whole-wheat pancakes.
This program incorporates the following New Jersey Core Curriculum Content Standards: 2.1, 3.2, 4.1, 5.1, 5.3, 5.4, 5.5, 5.6, 5.7, 5.12, 6.4, 6.9
Little Red Hen
Grades Pre-K 1
Availability: Late Sept. thru first week of Nov.
10 am 11:30 am
Younger students will learn the steps of processing wheat into flour by following the story of The Little Red Hen at the Museums Red Hen Puppet Theater. Students will learn how wheat is planted and harvested; help thresh wheat seeds from stalks; crank a fanning mill to winnow the wheat; and grind whole wheat flour by using a grist mill.
This program incorporates the following New Jersey Core Curriculum Content Standards: 1.1, 5.6, 5.7, 6.4, and 6.5
The Lenape Indians
Grades 3 - 6
Availability: Can be reserved anytime
10 am 12 noon
Living off the land as the Lenape did required ingenuity and a mastery of skills for daily survival. Museum Educators will take your class on a tour that includes life-size Lenape dwelling, games, hunting, and gardening. The Lenape played games not only for fun, but to develop coordination for hunting. Test your hunting skills at darts, hoop and pole, and stone boiling relay. Learn about the Three Sisters of the Lenape garden while grinding corn with stones. Examine a variety of artifacts and see what life was like in and around a Lenape wigwam.
This program incorporates the following New Jersey Core Curriculum Content Standards: 3.2, 5.1, 5.3, 5.4, 5.7, 5.12, 6.2, 6.3, 6.4, 6.5, 6.7, 6.8, 6.9
Lets Meet The Sheep
Grades PreK-1
Availability: Can be reserved anytime
10 am 11:45 am
Younger student will learn how wool is produced and processed. Your class will watch a video of a sheep shearing, learn how to card wool, see how a spinning wheel operates, and ply wool to make it strong. Students will visit the sheep at the Cook College Farm.
This program incorporates the following New Jersey Core Curriculum Content Standards: 3.2, 4.1, 4.3, 5.3, 5.4, 5.6, 5.7, 6.4, 6.5, 6.9
All About Wool
Grades 2 - 8
Availability: Late Mar. thru Apr.
10 am 12 noon
Are ewe ready to discover how wool is produced and processed? Your class will watch a live sheep shearing, prepare freshly cut and washed wool for spinning, and work on a weaving project to be displayed in the Museum. See how a spinning wheel works and spin wool using a hook spindle. Touch a variety of wool samples. Students keep all of their wool and yarn samples. In the event that sheep are not available, students will watch a video of live sheep shearing.
This program incorporates the following New Jersey Core Curriculum Content Standards: 3.2, 5.3, 5.4, 5.6, 5.7, 6.4, 6.5, 6.9
Pig Tales
Grades Pre-K 1
Availability: Can be reserved anytime
10 am 11:30 am
Oreo the pig puppet will delight children of all ages at the Museums Piggy Puppet Theater. Learn what pigs eat as you grind corn into feed. Test your sense of smell at the Snout Sniffing station. Visit the animals at the Cook College Farm, including the sows and piglets at the Farrowing house.
This program incorporates the following New Jersey Core Curriculum Content Standards: 1.1, 5.6, 5.7, 6.4, and 6.5
Farm Chores Tour
Grades Pre-K - 4
Availability: Can be reserved anytime
10 am 11:45 am
This special tour introduces your students to the chores that children help with on the farm. Milk Aggie the Museums model cow and use kid power to grind corn into animal feed. Students will experience an automatic milking machine. This tour includes a visit to the Cook College Farm to see the cows, pigs, sheep, and goats.
This program incorporates the following New Jersey Core Curriculum Content Standards: 3.2, 4.1, 4.3, 5.3, 5.4, 5.6, 5.7, 6.4, 6.5, 6.9
Reservation Information
With the exception of the All About Wheat, Little Red Hen, and the All About Wool programs, all of our tours are available to book throughout the school year. Reservations are required for all Museum education programs. Please book early, our programs sell out quickly!
Call 732-249-2077, Monday-Friday, 10 am to 4 pm, to schedule a tour.
Please have the following information ready when making your reservation.
· School calendar.
· Program you wish to reserve.
· First, second, and third choices for date of trip.
· Contact name, school name, address, and phone number.
· Number of students.
· Grade level.
· Any special needs your group may have including physical or learning disabilities or limited English proficiency.
A written confirmation sheet will be sent to you upon booking your tour. Each tour includes an educational post-tour packet.
Payment
All tours are $185 per group. Price is based per group, not by the number of students. Each group is limited to 25 students. There is a four-group limit per day. We can accommodate up to 100 students per day. Special permission is required to exceed group size.
Payment in full is required two (2) weeks prior to your tour date. Please return your check or purchase order voucher along with a copy of your signed confirmation sheet to the Museum.
Please make checks payable to: New Jersey Museum of Agriculture
Lunch
Groups are welcome to eat lunch in our picnic area, weather permitting. No food is permitted inside the building. Please let us know if you will be staying for lunch when reserving your tour.
Photography & Videotaping is Prohibited
If you have any questions or would like to request a brochure to be mailed to you, please call the Museum at
(732) 249-2077 or send your request by email to info@agriculturemuseum.org.
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