Franklin Conservation District
Promoting conservation and wise use of our natural resources
Wheat Week Extensions
Welcome,
Did you know that the fun does not have to stop once Wheat Week has ended? We have designed a website for our Wheat Week participants that will allow the learning of Wheat Week to continue either at home or in the classroom. We hope this will be a helpful resource in your distance learning endeavors. If you have any additional questions or suggestions for improvements please do not hesitate to contact us at franklinconservationdistrict@gmail.com
Thanks,
Wheat Week Educators
Learn more about Washington Wheat
Wheat Week would not be possible without the support of Washington Wheat Farmers. Click on the logos below to learn more about farming in Washington state:
How to use this site:
Scroll down below or click the menu to the right to be transported to a series of activities, videos, and websites based on our Wheat Week lessons. Hover your mouse over the picture of the website you are interested in to reveal the link.
What is Wheat
Activities
See for yourself how water moves through plants using a stalk of celery.
A free farm game that highlights real life agricultural practices. Probably the easiest way you can become a virtual wheat farmer!
A fun way to make bread at home. It's an experiment you can eat!
Videos
A video showing how a combine works. Combines harvest and thresh the head of the wheat. This allows the farmers to collect the grain.
Short video stories of Washington wheat farmers who own and operate farms that have been in their families for multiple decades.
Websites
Nature Conservancy lesson plans and videos about soil, the role of pollinators, how nature filters water, and more!
Website that contains past issues of Ag Today. Each issue of Ag Today is a great way to expand your knowledge of farming practices.
A great resource introducing topics related to growing plants. Includes lesson plans, activities, and more to help support gardening efforts.
Wheat DNA
Activities
Create the double helix structure of DNA. This edible science experiment is sure to be hit!
If you enjoyed extracting DNA in the classroom, you'll love doing it at home. This time with strawberries!
Learn more about how DNA is put together by building your own molecule online.
Videos
NOVA | Extract Your DNA |PBS (3 min)
Take DNA extraction experiments to the next level by extracting your own. This video will walk you through a fun experiment to see what your own DNA will look like.
Websites
An informational video on how DNA and genetics work. Follow that up with fun review activities!
Want to get in depth with the history of DNA and the foundation of genetics? This website will walk you through the famous experiments that helped develop the field of genetics.
Amazing Soils
Activities
Use pudding to make your own ideal soil. A tasty way to understand soil composition!
An experiment you can do at home or in the classroom to better understand soil texture.
Play on online game to build the ideal soil structure for wheat. Shares similarities to the game Tetris.
Videos
Animated video highlighting how microbes interact with plants to help them grow.
Living Soil: A Documentary (60 min)
A documentary that gives an in-depth look at the importance of soil. This film highlights the importance of soil in society and gives insight on how we can protect soil health.
July: Soils Are Living! (3 min)
A short video that talks about some of the various animals that make the soil their home. After all, they need the soil as much as we do!
Websites
Website that has activities for kids to help them explore and understand soil.
Learn about soil health across the nation including Washington State. Explore to learn more about the state soil, tokul.
Water in our World
Activities
Printable game about access to, and delivery of, clean water. Develop your piping system to work around obstacles and make it to the finish.
An online game you can play by yourself or with friends. Use your knowledge of the water cycle to collect more water tokens than your opponent.
While learning about the water cycle we talk about transpiration but rarely do we get to see it. With this home experiment, use food coloring and flowers to witness transpiration in action.
Videos
An overview of the water cycle and the importance of water conservation for people and agriculture.
A simple overview of the water cycle.
Follow along as an EarthEcho educator walks you through an example of how to monitor water quality. This could be one way you could help contribute to water conservation!
Websites
Website for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Contains information about weather and the water cycle.
This site hosts a wide range of activities related to the water cycle. We recommend the following lessons:
-Water, Water, Everywhere
-What-a-cycle
-Leaf it to Me
Find out more about Washington water and your watershed on the WA Department of Ecology website. This site contains information on various ways you can conserve water in your local community.
Wheat Energy
Activities
Go through a short slideshow and then test your knowledge on renewable energy!
A puzzle game that highlights how food moves from farm to your table.
Use the power of potatoes to harness energy with this fun home energy experiment!
Videos
Ever wonder how hydropower works? This video provides a quick, insightful look at what happens inside a dam.
Here Comes the Sun: Crash Course Kids (3 min)
Learn about "Sol" Earth's main source of energy. Find out how that energy gets to Earth through space as well as some other "light" facts.
Websites
Very interactive website that mostly promotes conservation and energy careers.
A collection of NGSS energy lesson plans from the Clean Energy Institute of UW.
The website for the National Energy Education Development organization. NEED provides resources and activities for educators and students alike.