Grace McAlister
In partnership with Florida Agriculture in the Classroom, Nutrien’s Seed Survivor display, a plant nutrient classroom on wheels, visited Hamilton County Elementary School from Monday, Nov. 7 to Wednesday, Nov. 9.
Seed Survivor is a free, curriculum-based learning experience that encourages children in elementary school, specifically those in grades three and four, to understand what makes plants grow. Visitors to the Seed Survivor Mobile Classroom can compete as virtual farmers, dig for real fossils and learn how they relate to agriculture, and even plant a sunflower seed to take home and grow.
The mobile classrooms tour North America year-round and will be in Florida from November 2022 to February 2023. “Seed Survivor is a fun and engaging way to teach students the importance of agriculture and what plants need to grow,” says Becky Spoonholtz, of Florida Agriculture in the Classroom. “It’s a great resource for teachers, and students love planting their very own sunflower to grow in the classroom or at home.”
“Every year, our Seed Survivor program reaches approximately 100,000 students across North America,” said Chloe Sprecker, Nutrien’s Program Advisor. “We hope to get children interested in agriculture, build their confidence in growing healthy plants, and understand where their food comes from.”
Florida Agriculture in the Classroom is a non-profit organization that provides educational resources, grants and other programs to help Pre-K through 12th-grade teachers incorporate agricultural concepts into their core subject area classes. Florida Agriculture in the Classroom aims to expand youth awareness and understanding of Florida agriculture and natural resources by integrating agricultural concepts into core educational disciplines and supporting programs.