From March 16 through March 20, Burrowes Elementary School brought agriculture into the classroom in a way that felt both joyful and meaningful. As part of Ag Literacy Week, students experienced how reading can open the door to understanding the world around them, especially when that learning is rooted in something as essential as agriculture.
This year’s featured book, Cows Can Moo! Can You? All About Farms with Dr. Seuss, set the stage for an experience that was both engaging and memorable. With its playful rhythm, students eagerly joined in, mimicking animal sounds and responding to the energy of the story.
At Burrowes, that experience was led by Christopher Bond, Assistant Director of the Farm Show Complex, who visited to read with students and share his connection to agriculture.
As Bond read aloud, students weren’t just listening. They were participating. What might seem like a simple read-aloud quickly became something much more dynamic.
Following the story, Bond spoke with students about how agriculture connects to everyday life. He shared how farms operate, how food is produced, and how events like the Pennsylvania Farm Show connect communities to agriculture. Students asked thoughtful questions, curious about animals, crops, and how everything works together.
For many, it was the first time they saw agriculture as something bigger than what they see in pictures or pass by in the car.
Dr. Alex Rohrer, Community School Director, spoke to the importance of these experiences.
“This is a partnership between the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Education,” Rohrer explained. “It recognizes that literacy is a huge component of agricultural careers, and also how agriculture shows up in the stories we tell and the books students read.”
Agriculture is intentionally built into students’ learning experiences. In second grade, students explore agriculture through their science curriculum by growing plants in their classrooms. They observe changes over time, learn what plants need to survive, and take responsibility for caring for something living.
At the same time, agriculture connects to English Language Arts, where students explore informational texts and learn about different career pathways. Experiences like Ag Literacy Week help bring those lessons to life.
“The second graders already learn about farming as part of their curriculum,” Rohrer shared. “They’re growing plants, they’re learning about agriculture as a career, but this gives them a perspective they don’t typically get to hear.”
In a county where agriculture is all around us, it can sometimes feel familiar but not fully understood. Students may see farmland or hear about farming, but they don’t always see the wide range of careers, innovation, and leadership within the field. By welcoming Christopher Bond into the classroom, Burrowes students were able to learn directly from someone whose work is connected to one of Pennsylvania’s most important industries.
It also helps students begin to see themselves in those possibilities.
“I hope students recognize all of the different things they could do in the agricultural field,” Rohrer said. “And understand that their education plays an important role in whatever career they choose.”
That message was reflected in the way students engaged throughout the visit. They were active participants, asking questions, making connections, and thinking about how what they were learning applies to their own lives.
At Burrowes Elementary, Ag Literacy Week helped students see that learning doesn’t stop at the page. It connects to their community, their future, and the world they’re growing into.