Elementary school students across the state will soon have access to a fun and informative book about agriculture thanks to sales of the Farming Feeds Alabama vehicle license plate and a project by the Alabama Farmers Federation, which honors state legislators.To emphasize the importance of agriculture to Alabama’s school children, the Federation will provide copies of Oh Say Can You Seed? — All About Flowering Plants to more than 900 public elementary school libraries. The books, which were bought with proceeds from the Farming Feeds Alabama car tag, include labels that recognize local legislators for their support of farming and education.”This is a great opportunity to help children increase their knowledge of plants and appreciation for agriculture,” said Federation President Jerry A. Newby. “We want children to understand how important agriculture is to our state, and hopefully this book will inspire some of these young people to pursue careers in life sciences and other agriculture-related fields.”The project will give almost 300,000 public school students access to the book, which is part of The Cat in the Hat’s Learning Library. The book explores parts of plants, seeds and flowers while teaching children about photosynthesis, pollination and seed dispersal.
Using colorful pictures and a catchy rhyme scheme, the book is able to communicate complex scientific ideas in simple, easy-to-read language. This allows students to absorb knowledge about the natural world while having fun. To further enhance the impact of the book, the Federation also will provide each library an activity packet that outlines hands-on activities to help teachers and students learn more about agriculture.Legislators learned about the project at the Federation’s annual Taste of Alabama Legislative Reception Feb. 11 in Montgomery. Following the event, books were distributed to Alabama’s 67 county Federations, which will deliver them to schools.Sales of the Farming Feeds Alabama license plates support agricultural education and promotional activities throughout the state.For information about the tag, visit your local probate judge’s office or visit www.ador.state.al.us/motorvehicle/specialty.html.