This month, Siouxland Ag in the Classroom is diving into the stages and life cycle of a pig while exploring the important role barns play in caring for them! Students are learning how piglets grow from birth to market, the nutrition they need at each stage, and how farmers work every day to keep their animals healthy and comfortable.
We also discussed how barns provide protection from harsh weather, create a clean and safe environment, offer proper ventilation, and ensure pigs have access to fresh water and balanced feed. It’s a great way for students to see how modern agriculture focuses on animal care and well-being.
And the fun didn’t stop there! Students put their learning into action by building their own “pig barns” out of spaghetti noodles and marshmallows. As the students started their construction and found that maybe they needed more materials to continue their building process, they could go to the bank (the SAITC instructors) and pled their case and receive extra building materials.
This hands-on activity encouraged creativity, teamwork, and problem-solving while tying agriculture into STEM learning. Designing strong, stable structures helped students think like engineers while applying what they learned about what barns need to provide for animals.
A huge thank you to Iowa Pork Producers, Ida County Pork Producers, and our local commodity partners for providing this engaging lesson and supporting agricultural education in our classrooms. We are so grateful for your partnership in helping students connect science, agriculture, and real-world learning.