Project Food, Land & People

Many thanks to Vino Farms, Inc. and FLP's other supporters for assisting with this issue of the Food, Land & People newsletter.

Food, Land & People is distributed nationally twice each year and provides information to educators and parents, FLP contacts and current and potential contributors about FLP's progress, educators' involvement, contributions and funding opportunities.

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FLP materials produce positive results in field-test evaluation
FLP President comments
Praise for FLP
15 more lessons, Spanish-translated lessons available
Three states affiliate, State orientation workshops begin
FLP has new headquarters at Presidio
FLP World Learning Center Symposium examines contention about food and agricultural system
Paulsen family announces five-year pledge of support
List of contributors and supporters

Materials Produce Positive Results in Field-Test Evaluation
Students show knowledge gains and attitude changes about agriculture, environment, cultures
By Vernon B. Cardwell, Professor of Agronomy, University of Minnesota

FLP's newly released field-test evaluation report, conducted by an independent evaluator, has excellent news. The report states, "Results of statistical tests indicate that FLP had a definite and significant impact on students' increased knowledge and positive attitudes about agriculture, the environment and diverse cultures."

Over 4000 students in grades two through nine participated in the field-test, conducted during the 1996-97 school year in California, Connecticut and Ohio. Nearly 200 teachers volunteered to participate. Half the teachers received a six-hour training workshop where they participated in lessons and received Resources for Learning and other supplementary materials. The other half served as a control group with no training or materials. Students whose teachers taught with FLP materials and students in the control group were given pre- and post-tests to compare their learning and attitudes.

Results
Key report findings:

Gains in both knowledge and positive attitudes were greatest and statistically significant for grades 2-3, followed by grades 4-6. Grades 7-9 showed gains, but not at a statistically significant level.
Knowledge gains were greatest among suburban students in grades 2-3 and rural 4th-6th graders. On the other hand, suburban 4th-6th graders showed the most positive attitude changes about food, land and people. Differences in student performance on the tests were correlated to the length of time that teachers had the FLP materials to work into their instruction. The teachers taught FLP lessons at their own discretion throughout the year.

Implications
This field-test evaluation provides the first statistical evidence of the positive effects of using FLP materials with students. According to FLP President Mark Linder, "We are very pleased to confirm that using FLP materials helps students understand the interelationships among agriculture, the environment and people of the world. Our goal now is to use the test results as a marketing tool for attracting educators to FLP workshops, increasing financial support from current partners and encouraging new partners to contribute to FLP."

The fact that students of teachers who used the materials longer during the school year scored better on their tests suggests that one important direction for FLP is to expand its distribution efforts. The study confirms that having educators become familiar with FLP materials through training workshops and encouraging educators to use more lessons in their classrooms for longer periods of time are key factors in student learning.

A FLP field-test Evaluation Report will soon be available on this web site. The report will be posted online in early March. Or call (415) 561-4445 for a copy.

Volunteers+Your $$$=Food, Land & People
By Mark Linder, FLP President, Presidio National Park, San Francisco, California

As we go to press with this issue of FLP's newsletter, more than 24,000 hours of recorded volunteer time has been contributed to FLP. Why have these educators, farmers, conservationists, business leaders and government representatives donated so much of their precious time to FLP? Sandee Brown from Connecticut calls FLP's classroom material the "missing link" she has been looking for in her 32 years of teaching elementary students. Christopher Williams from Arizona realized, after 15 years of working with Boy Scouts, that educating leaders allowed him to reach many more youth. As a result, he has devoted the last 22 years to educating teachers and youth group leaders about natural resources and agriculture to help them incorporate information on these subjects into curricula or programs.

The testimonials from other FLP volunteers would fill up every page of this newsletter as they express their personal commitment to helping Food, Land & People succeed.

Food, Land & People is fortunate to have hard-working volunteers across the United States. But their labor alone isn't enough. Your financial gifts are crucial to move FLP "onward and upward" and enable us to educate people of all ages and walks of life about the critical interdependence of food, land and people.

If you are in a position to provide financial assistance and/or volunteer your service, I urge you to contact me. Your support will make a difference in the lives of many children and adults in our country and around the world.

FLP around the country: California
By Stephen P. Andrews, Jr., Bay Area Coordinator, Environmental and Natural Resources, Cooperative Extension-University of California

"FLP is successfully engaging at-risk youth in agro-environmental literacy through a rich program of supplementary curriculum activities suitable for both formal and non-formal educators."

"The dedication and commitment of FLP workshop attendees is amazing. For example, last February, Sharon Osteen, a local (California) vegetable farmer and graduate of our Master Gardener program, attended the FLP Resources for Learning workshop to learn how she might incorporate agro-environmental literacy into local schools' field trips to her farm. In just a few hours she was making connections between the activities in Resources for Learning and the elementary students that visit her farm. And these students aren't from posh rural or suburban areas; they're city kids who typically have very limited opportunities.

"To make the most of each child's farm experience, Sharon now utilizes three Resources for Learning activities when schools visit. She engages them in lively activities designed to teach the importance of soil, seeds and bees. To extend each student's visit, Sharon developed a personal farm journal that students receive at the beginning of their visit and complete days or weeks later in the classroom. In the last year, Sharon's efforts alone have reached 6000 students in grades two through five.

"The effect of Sharon's integration of Resources for Learning is critical when one stops to consider just how disconnected today's youth are from understanding basic agricultural and environmental concepts. To illustrate this point, I recall a third grader from Caesar Chavez Elementary School in Richmond, California, who quite authoritatively told me that water pollution and the conservation of wetlands were no longer issues because factories could produce all the clean, bottled water we need. The idea that a third grader would think that we can actually manufacture water was astonishing. At that point, I realized just how negligent we have all been at keeping our students informed about the limits of our natural resources and the critical role they play in food and fiber production. "

FLP around the country: Kentucky
By Stacy Carrier, Kentucky educator and FLP facilitator

"I just wanted you to know how well the workshop went today! Everyone had a really good time doing the activities and even presenting to the group. My principal said this was one of the best programs he has seen for teachers in a long time. He stayed in the training with us because he was so into the activities. I ended up with 11 participants and by the end of the day I already had another principal wanting me to come teach the workshop at his school later this fall. The teachers can't wait to get their books! Several have asked to borrow mine until theirs come in so they can begin using the program next week."

Project Food, Land & People proudly announces the availability of more lessons for use in classrooms nationwide. Fifteen new lessons (click to view) have been developed and pilot tested to supplement the 40 lessons in the Resources for Learning first edition.

Twenty FLP lessons (click to view) have been translated into Spanish for use in Spanish-speaking or bilingual classrooms. To order the 15-lesson supplement and/or Recursos para Aprender (Spanish edition), please click here for the order form.

Three states affiliate with FLP, state orientation workshops begin
By Christopher Williams, FLP Chairperson, Chandler, Arizona

We welcome Delaware, New Mexico and South Dakota as new coalitions in the FLP family this summer. This brings the number of licensed affiliates to 20. Delaware and New Mexico both held facilitator training workshops this fall. South Dakota held an FLP orientation workshop in October.

Orientation: A New Tool
The high level of interest in these three states sparked the creation of a new tool for introducing FLP: an orientation workshop. When the New Mexico Association of Conservation Districts saw a copy of Resources for Learning, they recognized FLP's potential for their education program. They obtained a copy of the FLP Coalition Handbook, and began to recruit other members for their coalition. These groups raised many thoughtful questions about the FLP curriculum and coalition-building process. Their strong interest led FLP to develop an orientation workshop to bring the groups together and help them prepare to launch a new coalition.

Goals
The goals for the orientation workshop are to:

Acquaint participants with FLP's history, lessons, materials development and distribution processes and facilitator and educator workshops; and
Prepare them to make decisions about the state distribution of Resources for Learning, organizing and carrying out a facilitator workshop, modifying and copying the facilitator handbook and ordering materials.

Activities
The agenda for the orientation workshop, which lasts about 5-1/2 hours, includes:

Lessons from Resources for Learning;
Discussion of FLP history;
Review of material development and distribution;
Overview of facilitator and educator workshops; and
Scavenger hunt through Resources for Learning.

An Invitation
Anyone interested in creating a new state coalition is welcome to contact us and discuss holding an orientation workshop. A FLP facilitator will conduct the workshop and work with groups to modify the basic agenda for particular needs. For more information, please visit our website at www.foodlandpeople.org/resources/how_affiliate.html. Thanks to Delaware, New Mexico and South Dakota for joining us, and for helping us create this valuable new tool.

A historic office building, circa 1887, at the Presidio National Park of San Francisco is the headquarters for administering the FLP World Learning Center, USA and International Programs.

The Presidio National Park will be used by FLP for teaching people of all ages, especially children and teachers, about agriculture, the environment and human cultures.

FLP's "Chat with a Farmer" program and the annual "Building Bridges of Understanding between Agriculture, Education and the Environment" symposium will bring together agricultural and environmental leaders, educators, and policy makers to discuss agro-ecological issues.

Symposium examines contention about food and agricultural system
By Lucas Calpouzos, FLP World Learning Center Chairperson and Professor Emeritus of California State University-Chico, Oregon House, California

The World Learning Center held its second annual symposium on September 15, 2000. Each year the symposium focuses on topics appropriate to the overall theme of "Building Bridges of Understanding between Agriculture, Education and the Environment."

This year's topics were: 1) "Why is there so much contention from both environmentalists and consumers towards their food and agricultural system?" and 2) "What is the role of science and education in resolving this contention?" Examples of key ideas presented can be gleaned from the following quotes by two presenters: Dr. Christine Bruhn, director, Consumer Research Center, University of California, Davis said, "One issue that is responsible for this contention is that we don't have an even sharing of information, that it is distorted and people only hear one side." Dr. Lori Ann Thrupp, life scientist and policy specialist, US Environmental Protection Agency said, "How to work together to get a dialogue is not just a matter of sitting and talking together but actually working together; getting out in the field and getting your hands dirty." Other presenters included: James Moseley, Indiana farmer and former assistant secretary, U.S. Department of Agriculture and Dr. Richard Stuckey, executive vice president, Council for Agricultural Science and Technology. The proceedings of the 1999 symposium, 1) "Is education the solution to agricultural-environmental issues?" and 2) "In the 21st century, will we be able to feed ourselves and protect the environment?", are available by using the order form.

Next year's symposium is planned for early November. The topics will be: 1) "What advice would environmentalists give to agriculturalists to improve relations?" and 2) "What advice would agriculturalists give to environmentalists to improve relations?" Please contact FLP if you would like to be placed on the mailing list for further announcements.

In conjunction with the World Learning Center's symposium in September, Food, Land & People celebrated its new offices at the Presidio National Park of San Francisco. FLP President Mark Linder (left) is joined by (left to right) Joni, Eric and Regnar, Jr. Paulsen in dedicating the FLP president's office in honor of their parents, Regnar and Beverly Paulsen. FLP's leadership appreciates the Paulsens' five-year pledge of support to help the organization expand its programs.