Placement in Curriculum/Subject Areas - History, Social Studies

Organization of Classes - small groups

Materials Needed - Countdown To Millennium  Web pages at www.frognet.net/countdown

Radio Activity - Students can compare the changes in farming technology from early days to present time. How have these changes also influenced family structures and routines? What other social, economic, and scientific phenomena have an impact on the family farm? [child labor, literacy, career options, computer use, fertilizers, cuts in subsidies, hormone-induced fertility and growth, large-scale farm practices] Have students project what the future holds for family farms.

Interview Activity - Interview family and community members who live or grew up on the farm. What changes in perspectives do you see across generations?

Additional Activities -  Contact the local farm extension agent for materials & an interview.

Examine maps that show the percentage of farming in the local area. Compare changes with older maps.

Look at legislation affecting the family farm. Have they fared better or worse in recent years? What would you suggest contributes to these patterns? Assessment of Student Performance - Teacher judgement of student participation