4th graders from Beebe Elementary had their classrooms moved to a rice field to get a valuable practical experience of steps involved in crop production and management. They traveled to the Bald Knob Wildlife Refuge Center where stations were set up to simulate and discuss how rice is harvested, processed, and packaged, into products we buy in the store. Students learned about various types of irrigation methods and got to get up close and personal with a rice plant. The students were made aware of the ecosystem of the rice field. Now Students will go back into the science lab and classrooms and study rice, and will even plant some rice of their own, and use different variables to see what conditions are best for them to grow. This was made possible by the UofA extension coop, 4H club, Farm Bureau, and Michael and Sarah Oxner. We would also like to thank, Brian Haller, who helped us put all of this hands on learning experience together.
