AGRICULTURE PROGRAMS

Brooker Community School is located in a small town that is surrounded by farms and ranches. Within a 15-mile radius of Brooker, the following agricultural areas and businesses can be found: hay fields, corn fields, watermelon fields, peanut and pecan fields, strawberry farms, vegetable farms, goat farms, horse farms, blueberry farms, chicken farms, latterly harm, swine farm, cattle ranches, and bee (honey) farms. Locally, the University of Florida (UF) offers an agricultural program that has the following: UF Dairy Teaching Unit; UF Beef Teaching Unit; Swine Teaching Unit; Sheep Teaching Unit; and UF Horticulture Greenhouses. Hydroponic Crop Production and Drone Technology will also be introduced and studied.

 

In keeping with the School's mission of offering students opportunities to “solve real-world problems within small, rural communities and beyond.” the School's authentic learning experiences will focus on agricultural studies. Teachers will incorporate hands-on lessons throughout all core subject areas that provide students with cross-curricular opportunities to learn about agriculture. Additionally, within the science program, teachers will enhance the core curriculum with supplementary materials that focus on agriculture in Florida. One resource that will be used is called  Florida Agriculture in the Classroom (faitc.ore). Teachers will bring agriculture into the classroom with lesson plans, activities, and resources for any subject or grade level through this online resource. Furthermore, students will participate in field trips that allow them to learn about agricultural science. Below are some examples of authentic learning experiences and field trips that may be incorporated into different subject areas and grade levels at Brooker Community School.