Making the Connection: Agriculture and Energy Education is a project of the Wisconsin K-12 Energy Education Program (KEEP), Wisconsin FFA Foundation, Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction, and Focus on Energy. The project began as a plan to develop an agriculture education unit supplement to the existing KEEP Activity Guide. The enthusiastic support of the agriculture education community has added so much more!!

Agriculture and Energy Education Web site
If you are reading this, then you are already familiar with the Web site! This site is being developed and maintained to provide agriculture educators with relevant information about energy, classroom activities, and links to some of the best links on the internet.

Development of the Agriculture and Energy Education activities took place in two phases:

Phase I: Development of Agriculture Energy Education Framework
Phase II: Development of an Agriculture Education Unit Supplement to the Wisconsin K-12 Energy Education Guide
Phase III: Dissemination of the Unit Supplement via conferences and KEEP inservice courses

Phase I: Development of Agriculture Energy Education Framework

• KEEP hosted a meeting of agriculture education teachers at the Wisconsin Center for Environmental Education in the spring of 2004. These teachers had the option of receiving a stipend or a graduate credit for their participation.
• During the meeting, the teachers:
  • Worked with KEEP staff to identify mutual objectives of agriculture and energy education, including cross references to academic standards.
  • Reviewed existing activity guides and curricula, including the KEEP Activity Guide, to identify lessons that address mutual objectives of agriculture and energy education.
  • Advised KEEP staff on which lessons to select and the overall design of the unit supplement.

• KEEP staff reviewed selected activities and revised activities to comply with KEEP format
• The Department of Public Instruction Agriculture Education & Natural Resources consultant reviewed materials prior to field testing.
• Teachers who participated in Phase I pilot tested activities and provided feedback on needed revisions
• KEEP staff developed final version of unit. Unit was thoroughly edited and revised.

This Energy and Agriculture Education Concept and Standards Cross Reference Chart is based on the Wisconsin Model Academic Standards for Agriculture Education and the Wisconsin K-12 Energy Education Program (KEEP) Conceptual Guide. It was compiled by agriculture education teachers and energy professionals.