ST. GEORGE — Local STEM teacher Karen Webb was presented with the 2024 Excellence in Teaching About Agriculture Award by Utah Agriculture in the Classroom in the last school board meeting.
The award is given to one teacher in Utah each year for their efforts in integrating agricultural education into their curriculum.
Webb has spent the last five years at Hurricane Elementary School and has been a teacher for 10 years total, helping almost 800 students during that time.
Agriculture in the Classroom is a nationwide program aimed at helping students develop an awareness and understanding of the food and fiber system.
Utah ‘s program provides teachers with training and resources to incorporate agricultural concepts into science, social studies, nutrition and career and technical education curricula.
On June 10, Webb was awarded $500 for her classroom, along with $1,500 that will cover expenses for attending the upcoming National Agriculture in the Classroom Conference in Salt Lake City from June 24-27.
Webb’s state-winning application will also be submitted for the National Excellence in Teaching About Agriculture Award.
“This award means that I’m on the right track,” Webb said. “It’s an indicator I’m using my time towards student success.”
Webb’s “innovative” teaching methods stood out to the selection committee. She teaches students from kindergarten through fifth grade curriculum that builds on past concepts from year to year.
“I teach the science of growing plants through each grade level, but I also get the opportunity to teach about sustainability in farming,” Webb said.
Webb said her interest in the field piqued when she attended a professional development workshop within the school district that demonstrated how engineering can be used in the new Science with Engineering Education Standard in agricultural engineering.
One of Webb’s notable activities involves using “Bee-Bots” to simulate pollination with her kindergarten and first-grade students.
The “buzz” from her classroom could be her students’ enjoyment.
“Groups of Bee-Bots move pompoms, or pollen, from flower to flower,” Webb said. “What makes them fun is they look like bees without the wings.”
“I use a variety of robot integration for all of my students,” Webb said. “ The BeeBots are a ‘code and go’ robot where students write code right on it.”
She said that they are great for introducing computer science concepts to young students.
In third grade, Webb’s students tackle engineering challenges related to agriculture, such as building TarPuls, or wire bridges used in Nepal to cross flood-swollen rivers.
“They learn about the soil profile and the best place to build these bridges based on location and movement of rivers,” Webb said. “The students then build a small model of their TarPul and have to cross some ‘rock people’ with their livestock and produce to sell at market.”
Webb’s teaching approach ensures that students from kindergarten through fifth grade progressively build their understanding of agricultural concepts.
Every grade has a Utah Science with Engineering Education Standard that addresses education materials from the natural world. She calls the SEEd standards a “story that is meant to be built upon.”
“Other than kindergarten and first grade, all of the other grades are just expanding what has already been taught,” Webb said.
Because of challenges such as funding and space, Webb had to get creative in integrating agriculture into her curriculum. She uses science notebooks, formative assessments and a rubric to measure success, all while working with grade-level teachers to design project-based assessments.
Webb is also actively involved in various educational organizations, including serving as a Region 9 Representative for the Utah Science Teaching Association. She’s also a member of the Washington County Educators Association and participates in PTA/PTO activities.
Her role as a Region 9 Representative involves providing information and resources to teachers in Washington, Kane, Garfield, Iron, Beaver and Milford counties.
Webb’s awards and recognition have significantly impacted her teaching and professional development.
“Because of my connection with this association, I was able to make other connections such as the STEM Action Center,” Webb said.
She was also able to write a grant that provides money for after school programs.
She said awards like these provide her a platform to talk about STEM education and earned her a spot on the Utah Science Teaching Association board.
Webb’s involvement in organizations like the Washington County Educators Association and PTA/PTO has influenced her teaching by providing her with a broader perspective on the needs and concerns of various stakeholders in education.
“It gives me the opportunity to talk to those making decisions about what goes on in our schools and help them understand how important STEM education is for students,” Webb said.
Looking ahead, Webb said she is excited to add sixth and seventh grade to her plate, teaching at the Intermediate school in Hurricane. Students could then continue building on previous years’ teachings.
“I am so lucky to have taught most of these students in elementary school, and it will be a fun reunion to be able to see them at the next level!” Webb said.
Webb offered some advice to fellow educators.
“Do things that make children curious about the world around them,” Webb said. “Look for ways to bring the natural world to them in everyday life.”
For more information about Utah Agriculture in the Classroom and the resources they offer, visit their website.
Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2024, all rights reserved.