Agriculture Education Teaches Hands-On

Students taking agriculture classes, especially those in the Animal Science class at Spanish Fork High School, are privileged to be taught by some of the best teachers in the entire state. Kasee Smith and Tiffany Meyers take teaching to a whole new level at SFHS. On Thursday January sixth, students in both Meyers’ and Smith’s Animal Science classes were taught about the digestive tracts of ruminant animals (sheep, cattle, deer…). These animals are unique compared to most other species of livestock or common pets such as dogs or cats. A ruminant has four stomachs! Each stomach has its own unique characteristics and job. Last Thursday, Mrs. Smith and Meyers gave their classes a unique perspective on the ruminant digestive system. With the help of a local meat shop, they obtained a digestive tract of a cow; and although some students didn’t dare get close to it, it was one of the most unique learning experiences these students have ever had. Nathan Galt, a student in Mrs. Smith’s third period said, “Some people thought it was kind of grose, but I learned more about this than I’ve ever learned about any other subject. It was actually pretty cool.” And Haley Anderson added, “Mrs. Smith and Mrs. Meyers are awesome teachers. We do hands on labs like this all the time, and it makes class fun and learning easy.” Agriculture supplies the world with food, clothing, and shelter, and these classes are teaching students at Spanish Fork High just how important it is in their own lives. Tiffany Meyers, an Agriculture Teacher at SFHS says, “We can’t afford to not teach about agriculture in school. We rely on it, and I love teaching my students about agriculture, and it really makes if fun when we do cool labs.” Whether students are in an animal science class, floriculture class, agriculture communication class or any other ag class at SFHS, you can be assured that they are being taught by the best. Kids are having fun learning about different aspects of agriculture, and we can all be assured that our future is in good hands. Picture: Tyler Galt, Kayden Worthington, and Jessica Swenson with dead baby calf in Agriculture class Photographer: Calvin Rowley