Educational Activities

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Activity Guide

Agriland
Elementary
9 a.m. - 9 p.m., Pride of Kansas Building
Kansas Commodities come together to teach students how agriculture touches their lives every day–from the food they eat to the clothes they wear–through hands-on activities at Agriland in the Pride of Kansas building. They can weigh themselves on a livestock scale, milk a cow, drive a combine, and learn about the soil under their feet.
Related Lesson Plans located at www.ksagclassroom.org (Provided by Kansas Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom). For more information contact: Robin Blume, Kansas Department of Agriculture (785) 564-6756 or robin.blume@ks.gov.

Ag Passport
Elementary
With the Agriculture Passport, students make their way in scavenger hunt style through the birthing center, the milking parlor, various animal exhibits, and the FFA Agriculture education exhibit. Hitting all the stops results in a prize at the Education Center. The Agriculture Passport can be picked up at the Education Center from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Moo U - Guided Barn Tours
All ages
Barn tours start in front of the Birthing Center at 9 am, 10 am, 11 am, Noon, 2 pm, 3 pm, 4 pm and 5 pm.
Featured again this year will be guided barn tours. Each tour will last roughly 45 minutes, and will walk your students through the world of poultry, rabbits, beef, dairy, sheep, and swine. Tour guides have either a degree in agriculture or a solid background in the livestock industry. Guides carry and use a portable PA system so they can easily relay interesting and little-known facts about the livestock the students see on the tour. They also explain the complexities of the livestock industry and give examples of the many ways animal by-products are used in everyday life. Tours can be adjusted to meet the needs of a wide age range of students.

Dr. Goddard's Lab
All ages
10:00 a.m., 11:00 a.m., 12:00 noon, and 2:00 p.m., Education Center
Dr. Goddard’s Lab is an interactive show that uses live rocketry demonstrations to teach students about force and propulsion, as well as early history of rockets. The lab is presented by the Cosmosphere International SciEd Center and Space Museum, and is named after Dr. Robert Goddard, an American engineer credited with creating the world’s first liquid-fueled rocket, which he successfully launched on March 16, 1926.
For more information contact: The Cosmosphere Education Department: 620-662-2305 X 323

Electrical Safety Demonstration
Intermediate grades
This popular demonstration runs every 15-to-20 minutes from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday through Friday in the Ad Astra Pavilion.
Journeyman linemen with the Kansas Electrical Cooperative provide a high-voltage demonstration on how electricity works that will energize students of all ages. Participants will learn how to tell when a line is energized, see what protective gear linemen use and why, and find out happens to a person who comes in contact with an energized line – as well as why electricity arcs and why birds can land safely on power lines.
For more information contact: Shana Read, KEC, 785-478-4554 or email sread@kec.org

Ferris Wheel ABC
Preschool and early elementary
The Kansas State Fair is filled with wonder–and words that start with every letter of the alphabet. Ferris Wheel ABC is a fun and creative word game, where students can excitedly search the fairgrounds for items that begin with each letter. When they complete their game cards, you can swing by the Education Information Center to grab a prize. Get a copy at the Education Center or download a printable copy of Ferris Wheel ABC here.

FFA Agriculture
All ages
The FFA Agricultural Education Building features activities that appeal to a variety of students. FFA representatives provide live, educational demonstrations and hands-on educational activities that help students learn more about Kansas agriculture. As a bonus, this is the home of the Grand Champion 4-H/FFA beef, sheep, goat and swine. The FFA Education Building is open from 8:30 a.m. until dark, and each visit takes roughly 15 minutes.

Kansas Board of EMS North of People's Bank and Trust Arena on Cottonwood Ave.
It only takes three minutes to learn how to save a life. Students will learn how to do ‘”hands only” CPR. Students will be instructed on the proper technique and will practice “hands only” CPR on Mannequins. Additionally real emergency medical personnel are on site with their ambulances giving students an opportunity to explore EMS equipment and learn what EMT’s and Paramedics do every day.

Experience Time: 15 Minutes

Hours of Operation: Daily 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Cost: Free

For further information contact: James Reed, Kansas Board of EMS, (785)640-4259

Kansas Department of Wildlife & Parks
All ages
9 a.m. - 9 p.m., Eisenhower Building
Animals of the prairie display - Experience the life-sized Bison and other wildlife found on the Kansas prairie. Wildlife and Parks staff are on hand to answer questions.

Kansas Highway Patrol Located in the Highway Patrol Building (next to the Lottery Building) on Bison Blvd.
Learn about seat belt safety.

Experience Time: 20 Minutes

Hours of Operation: Daily 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.

Cost: Free

KDHE Mobile Lab
509 Bison Blvd.
The KDHE Mobile Laboratory Experience (MLE) is an immersive, educational experience brought to K-12 public schools across Kansas. Featuring hands-on science experiences taught by professional educators and scientists, this onsite field trip is completely grant funded and available for a limited time. Through the wonder of science, the MLE introduces Public Health and inspires future scientists in the related sectors of biology, animal science, environmental science, genetics, chemistry and more!

Math-On-A-Stick
Intermediate grades
If you think food is the only thing that comes on a stick at the Kansas State Fair, you haven’t seen Math-on-a-stick. This fun learning exercise helps your students explore the Fairgrounds through the lens of mathematics, angles, and simple machines.
Pick up Math-On-A-Stick game boards at the Education Center, or download and print here. Your students will be asked to identify and record acute, right, straight, and reflex angles, which can be found throughout the Fair. Additionally, the game encourages students to identify simple machines, like wedges, screws, and pulleys. Once completed, students will be able to show their game board for a prize at the Education Center

Milking Parlor
All ages
Your students will love watching the milking demonstrations, where they can witness first-hand how milk makes its way from the farm to their table. This live exhibit is narrated by a local dairy professional, who can walk your students through the milking process, the life cycle of a dairy cow and answer all the questions your class might have about milk’s journey to their homes. Milking Demonstrations brought to you by the Kansas State Fair, Southwest Dairy Farmers and Kansas Dairy. Demonstrations are daily at 10 a.m., 11 a.m., noon, 1 p.m., 2 p.m., and 6 p.m.

Pollinator Gardens and Passport
Elementary
Go on a scavenger-like-hunt to discover how important pollinators are to agriculture and the many products we use as consumers. Visit all four pollinator gardens full of native Kansas wildflowers and grasses, and then turn in the passport at the Education Center for a prize.

Poultry and Rabbit Barns
Preschool and elementary
The poultry and rabbit barn is a popular stop for students of all ages! Filled with more than 2,800 coops, features a wide variety of poultry and rabbits. Your students will be amazed at the different shapes, sizes and colors–and they will find a lot to talk about as they see all the different varieties of rabbits, chickens, pigeons, doves, and other poultry.

Rub-A-Dub-Dub, What's in the Tub Located in the Agriculture Education Exhibit Bldg. at 23rd and Bison Blvd.
The times of the day when the Champion Grand Drive animals are taken out of their Fair homes and given a bath or fed. Students are given a chance to ask questions.

Hours of operation: Starts the first Sunday of the Fair when the baths are given every day at 9:30 a.m., 11:30 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. Feeding is at 2 p.m.

Experience Time: 30 min

Cost: Free

For more information contact: Mary Kane, Kansas FFA
For further information contact: Kansas Highway Patrol office at 316-265-5644

Dog Agility & Meet the Breed Demos Located in the Expo Center.
Youth get an up close and educational experience about different dog breeds, plus learn about dog agility & obedience.

Day: Wednesday, September 13

Time: All day

You Be The Judge Located throughout the livestock facilities.
You be the judge program is a wonderful way for students to learn about different livestock animals, what products are produced from that animal and gives students an understanding of what is happening in the show ring. You Be the Judge informational sheets can be printed from our website for each of our livestock shows. These flyers explain what the judge is looking for in each animal, correct terms used to identify the specie, a diagram labeling the different body parts and a section where the students can participate in judging the animals in the ring. Give your students a chance to be the judge and see how well they do!

Educational Activities

Activity Guide

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