The Ohio State University Extension's program 'It's Not Just Cows and Plows' engages around 300 fourth graders annually in ag literacy through interactive learning about food production topics. The program features an opening session using 'turning point technologies' clickers for a jeopardy-style game to introduce concepts, enhancing student engagement. Additionally, educators can borrow clickers and access free software to enrich their teaching methods.

1. 1
OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY EXTENSION
as an Interest Approach for Ag Literacy Programming
Technology
The Program
“It’s not just Cows and Plows” is a
cooperative program put in place by
the Soil and Water Conservation and Extension
Office in Van Wert County. The program is
supported by the local school systems, and serves
approximately 300 fourth graders each year. Youth
learn about the process of food from “Soil to
Spoon” through interactive stations in livestock,
crops, marketing, production, soil, water, and farm
safety around equipment.
Heather L. Gottke, gottke.4@osu.edu
4-H Program Coordinator & Interim Educational Technology Specialist

2. 2
OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY EXTENSION
Before youth attend these stations they are
gathered for an opening session. This session is
an interactive interest approach for the events that
are to follow. Using “Turning Point Technologies”
clickers students participate in a jeopardy-style
game. The game categories and questions mirror
the information that they will learn throughout the
course of the day using the stations as topics. The
clicker software provides a fun and easy way for
educators to explore interactive technology without
the fear of not knowing how to setup the game.
Interest Approach
The group
selects a
question
(above) and
then answers
the question
(right)

3. 3
OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY EXTENSION
Want to try Clickers?
• The clickers provide an opportunity for all of
the youth to give an answer. They are given
adequate time to respond, and their individual
response is recorded but anonymous.
• Being able to start the learning process from
the first opening event to lead into all of the
stations for the day is a great opportunity for
those youth to be exposed more than those
who just learn a few facts during the opening
session.
• It helps to kick off the day of learning with the
right attitude, and set the stage for what is to
be learned (objectives) throughout the day.
• There are many clickers throughout the state
of Ohio that can be borrowed free of charge!
All you have to do is ask.
• The software is a free download and works
from within your PowerPoint software.
http://go.osu.edu/aglitclickers
For more information please visit
my blog page about this topic!