Wheat Week Educates Both Students and Teachers

For the past seven years, across Washington State Kara Kaelber and her team of 11 educators have been teaching fourth and fifth graders math and science using wheat as a teaching tool through the Wheat Week Program.

Kara Kaelbe Education Director for the Franklin Conservation District, shares participating teachers’ impression of the program

 

Kaelber: “The reaction from teachers are phenomenal because the curriculum was created and designed purposefully to meet their standards — specifically at grade four and five. The feedback is so positive. They appreciate the program so much because it is such a good fit into their existing science curriculums. I hear it over and over again — they can’t believe the program is free. That is a testament to the Washington Grain Commission in sponsoring this program and making it free so all of these kids can benefit from the program and the teachers get the value program in the classrooms as well.”

 

She says the kids really enjoy the week’s exciting hands-on program.

 

Kaelber: “They love the program so much — that they fill out postcards at the end of the week for the wheat farmers. And several of them have come back that say they want to be wheat farmers when they grow up; or thank you for feeding the world or for doing your job. It is a great testament to the wheat farmers and the industry they have created for these kids to turn around and say thank you.”

 

Kaelber says that by the end of this school year, they hope to reach the mile marker of 10,000 students participating in Wheat Week.