NPPA and NSB Introduce Pigmania a Free Educational Tool for Elementary School Students
The Nebraska Pork Producers Association (NPPA) and the Nebraska Soybean Board (NSB) announce a new educational tool to teach elementary school students about Nebraska’s thriving pork industry.
Entitled Pigmania, the six-lesson package is being offered at no cost to the state’s elementary school teachers by the NPPA and the NSB.
Pigmania teaches fourth- through sixth-graders the basics about pork. Lessons focus on how pork gets from the farm to their dinner tables, the high nutritional values of pork in their diets, and the many non-food uses of pig byproducts, including medicinal and surgical products. The teacher package also helps educators meet Nebraska Department of Education standards in several areas, including social studies, language arts and math. Enclosed quizzes and other activities keep students engaged in learning about pigs and pork.
Students will learn that pork is the world’s most widely eaten meat, that Nebraska is one of the leading producers of pork in the country and that pig byproducts are the source for nearly 40 drugs and pharmaceuticals. They’ll also learn that pork is one of the leanest sources of meat available, and that Nebraska soybean farmers produce much of the feed used to nourish the state’s pigs.
The NPPA and the NSB actively work together to inform Nebraskans about the importance of animal agriculture to the state’s economic health, according to Teri Zimmerman, NSB education and outreach manager.
“Our goal is to educate Nebraskans about the importance of animal agriculture to our economy,” she says. “The earlier we can tell students about pork and soybean production in the state, the better informed they will be, so they can make wise purchasing decisions for their families when they become adults.”
“It’s important that elementary school students appreciate the steps Nebraska farmers take to make sure their pigs are well taken care of so they can provide healthy, nutritious food for their dinner tables,” says Kyla Habrock, the NPPA’s youth leadership director. “Pigmania is an excellent educational package to teach these students the facts about pork.”
Other educational materials provided free to the state’s elementary schools by the Nebraska Soybean Board and the Nebraska Pork Producers Association include: a Bingo card game that teaches students about pork and soybean farming; Food For Thought, an animated video package that gives students a look at how pork is produced in Nebraska; Producers, Pigs & Pork, a series of lessons that teaches students about our food supply system, centering on pork production; and Short Snoots, Soybean Sprouts, a colorful, four-page worksheet with interactive exercises to help students understand the interdependency of pig and soybean farming in Nebraska
Teachers can order Pigmania at no cost at nebraskapigmania.com. Quantities are limited, so teachers are urged to order immediately.
For more information, contact Karen Brokaw at 402-432-2299 or email karen@brokawmarketing.com