Linking the 7th Grade Science Curriculum to Agricultural Practice.

To stimulate early interest in human capital for agricultural careers and keen  understanding between science and agricultural practices, an innovative program of 10-1 hour, bimonthly presentations were given to 34 urban middle school students, 35% were ESL Learners. Diverse physical and social science topics were selected from the 7th grade Science Curriculum and linked to modern practices of field crop production. The first five presentations were taken from the Science Curriculum, the last five presentations expanded the science principles to modern field crop culture and food processing. The chemistry of acid and alkalinity with student hands-on was linked to soil pH as affecting crop growth. Remediation of a simulated acid lake with limestone linked pollution control to a single scientific concept; rock weathering to soil classification of farm lands and photosynthesis to seasonal and space area plantings. Social Science was linked to agriculture as a base for human welfare in developing countries. The evaluation consisted of a questionnaire of four questions answered by participants as "not interested","moderatley interested" and "highly interested". The results found that 80% were highly interested in and understood the relationships between science and the practice of agriculture; 75% would consider science as a career; 53% were highly interested in agriculture as a career and 90% enjoyed the series. The generally high evaluation suggests that early intervention is effective in creating human capital aware of the linkage of science to agriculture and of the broad opportunities in agriculture and/or science as a life work.