Updated: June 13, 2024
Close Encounters Close Encounters with Agriculture

Close Encounters with Agriculture

Close Encounters with Agriculture is an award-winning program offered each year to Montgomery County fourth-grade students. Since 1993, over 100,000 students have participated in this hands-on educational program designed to teach students about modern agriculture, maintaining a healthy environment, and leading a healthy lifestyle.

Close Encounters with Agriculture Facts - all slots are filled for 2024

Theme: Close Encounters with Agriculture – applicable to Social Studies, Science, Math, and Health curriculums
Audience: 4th Grade Students - 225 to 300 students per day
Dates for 2024:  October 9 - 31, 2024
Time: 10:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
Location: Agricultural History Farm Park (M-NCPPC), 18410 Muncaster Road, Derwood, MD 20855
Goals:

  • To promote and increase the visibility of agricultural science and related fields
  • To demonstrate the interrelationship between agriculture, the environment, and nutrition
  • To increase the understanding of agriculture among youth and their families
  • To involve volunteers in promoting agriculture and related fields

Educational Tracks:  

1. Production Agriculture
Children will better understand agriculture production by matching raw products (animal, grain and specialty) with finished products using a relay race and discussion. They will see close up and interact with horses, and goats. Students will also try their hand at butter making and milk a simulated cow. Each student will take home a goody bag of donated agricultural and promotional items, plus a pansy for planting.

2. The Environment
Children will better understand how agricultural soil conservation best management practices affect water quality and our environment. Hands-on activities will help children learn about water quality, stream insects, local soils, wildlife habitat, soil erosion and things students can do at home to help keep water clean and safe.

3. Nutrition, Diet and Health
Children will study grain products and their relationship to nutrition, diet and health. Students will learn about parts of vegetables we eat through hands-on activities. Demonstrations, displays and games will enhance their understanding of the importance of good nutrition. All activities are based on the latest federal guidelines. A clicker quiz game will cap off the activities

Teacher's Notebook

  • beef cattle and plant

    Agriculture (pdf)

  • A person holding a handful of soil

    Environment (pdf)

  • Wheat

    Nutrition (pdf)

Learning Station Videos

Agriculture

Beef

Dairy

Goats

Relay

Environment

Habitat Relay

Rainfall

Soils

Stream Insects

Who Polluted the Potomac

Nutrition

Grains

Nutrition

Quiz