Smart Farming Virtual Classroom
Australian Good Meat is excited to host the popular Smart Farming virtual classroom program in Term 1 2022, tailored specifically for lower (F-3) and upper (4-6) primary school students to interact with passionate farmers.
Hosted on Zoom, these free 30-minute sessions linked to the Australian Curriculum, provide a perfect introduction to key topics such as food production, sustainable farming practices and the types of technology being used in farming.
Students will have the opportunity to talk directly with a farmer, complete quizzes and importantly learn more about where their food comes from, all from the classroom or at home.
We’ll see you there - If you’re a primary school teacher, it’d be a mis-STEAK to miss these!
Term 1 Sessions
The Sustainable Farm
Sustainable farming is important to farmers and the community. This session explores how farmers care for their environment and their animals along with the benefits that come with using sustainable practices and regenerative farming methods to manage a modern farm.
Technology on the Farm
Technology has come a long way. In this session we take a look at how farming technology has changed in Australia, the types of technology farmers use and how this technology improves their farming business.
Beyond the Farm
What happens beyond the farm gate? This session looks at the wider red meat sector and food supply chain, educating on its importance to the Australian economy and the different types of jobs in the industry. We’ll also find out why red meat is nutritionally valuable to fuel our bodies and how we can benefit from better understanding the paddock to plate journey.
Lower Primary Sessions
The Sustainable Farm with Farmer Kate Spry
The Sustainable Farm with Farmer Mel McGorman
Technology on the Farm with Farmer Mandy Matthews
Upper Primary Sessions
Technology on the Farm with Farmer Brad Swadesir
Beyond the Farm with Farmer Zac McInerny
The Sustainable Farm with Farmer Mark Wootton
The Sustainable Farm with Farmer Hugh Dawson
Technology on the Farm with Farmer Mel McGorman
Beyond the Farm with Farmer Fiona Aveyard
Farmer Profiles
Farmer Brad Swadesir
Brad owns a mixed farming enterprise comprising of sheep, cattle and crops. Brad is a keen innovator and has designed key animal handling products with Arrow farm quip and Clipex for both cattle and sheep industries. Also the Managing Director for Probreed, Brad is able to use his passion for innovation and driven by data for success with breeding involved to the next level. Finally Brad is keenly involved with local schools, assisting in resource planning for their students to really understand how bright their future can be in the Ag industry.
Farmer Hugh Dawson
Hugh is the Head Stockman at Beetaloo Station in the NT. Hugh is an outspoken advocate for the northern Australian agricultural industry and is an alumnus of the Future Northern Cattleman’s Association Future Leaders Program. Hugh is passionate in educating about livestock industry truths as well as promoting the opportunities and benefits of a career in Agriculture in Australia. Hugh was a 2021 finalist in the Zanda McDonald Award, and overall winner of the NT Young Achiever of The Year Award.
Farmer Mark Wootton
Mark is a geographer by training and a farmer by practice. Mark manages and is the principal of Jigsaw Farms. Jigsaw Farms is a high input, carbon neutral, grazing enterprise located north of Hamilton in South West Victoria. Jigsaw farms run a fine wool sheep flock and self-replacing cattle herd breeding their own livestock from start to finish. The farms also have biodiversity and agroforestry plantations that act as a carbon sink storing just as much carbon as the farms produce!
Farmer Fiona Aveyard
Fiona is a 5th generation lamb producer and the founder of their family paddock to plate business, "Outback Lamb" and the creator of their premium, farm-fresh, gourmet lamb sausage rolls. Collaborating with renowned pastry chef Christopher Thé of This Is Us, Outback Lamb has a focus on moving up the agricultural value chain by developing lamb based products sourced directly from the farm.
Farmer Kate Spry
Kate Spry is a Teacher and Seedstock Grazier based in Tamworth, NSW. Kate is passionate about promoting the great benefits of regenerative agriculture in the School setting and engages regenerative practices on her property, “Hillcrest”, at Tamworth. Kate partnered with Kiss the Ground (USA) in 2019, to release the first Regenerative Agricultural Curriculum in Australia.
Farmer Zac McInerney
Zac owns an Angus cattle breeding operation based in Northern NSW, works in an operational role in the processing sector and owns Subway restaurants. Zac lives and breathes the full paddock to plate journey and has had a diverse career in the Meat and Livestock industry to date. Zac is keen on educating the next generation as a 1st generation farmer it's important to get more kids from the city to better understand what it's like to live and work in in the country and agriculture!
Farmer Mel McGorman
Mel is a 4th generation sheep farmer from Palmer, South Australia. Mel is a mum of three and heavily involved in the family farm with her husband Ryan, she is super enthusiastic about educating city dwellers on living in the bush and managing thousands of sheep, there are so many interesting jobs Mel and her family get up to on the farm! Oh and don’t forget to ask her about the sheep she had to herd in the big brother house!
Farmer Mandy Matthews
Mandy is a 5th generation sheep and beef farmer from Whanganui, in New Zealand and currently working in Brookton, Western Australia. Mandy is enthusiastic about educating the public about what it takes to manage sheep in the harsh Australian country and in particular where their food comes from.
Resources
Extend your students' learning in the classroom or at home with the resources available at Australian Good Meat
All our resources are completely free and curriculum linked!
Download the pre-session activity for your students to complete.
Curriculum Links
Lower Primary (F-3)
Science
Living things live in different places where their needs are met (ACSSU211 - Scootle) S
People use science in their daily lives, including when caring for their environment and living things (ACSHE022 - Scootle) S, T
Living things grow, change and have offspring similar to themselves (ACSSU030 - Scootle) S, B
Earth’s resources are used in a variety of ways (ACSSU032 - Scootle) S
Living things can be grouped on the basis of observable features and can be distinguished from non-living things (ACSSU044 - Scootle) S
HASS (Geography)
The natural, managed and constructed features of places, their location, how they change and how they can be cared for (ACHASSK031 - Scootle) S
The connections of people in Australia to people in other places in Australia and across the world (ACHASSK050 - Scootle) S, B
The main climate types of the world and the similarities and differences between the climates of different places (ACHASSK068 - Scootle) S
Design and Technologies
Identify how people design and produce familiar products, services and environments and consider sustainability to meet personal and local community needs (ACTDEK001 - Scootle) S, T
Explore how plants and animals are grown for food, clothing and shelter and how food is selected and prepared for healthy eating (ACTDEK003 - Scootle) S, B
Investigate food and fibre production and food technologies used in modern and traditional societies (ACTDEK012 - Scootle) S, T, B
Digital Technologies
Recognise and explore digital systems (hardware and software components) for a purpose (ACTDIK001 - Scootle) T
Recognise and explore patterns in data and represent data as pictures, symbols and diagrams (ACTDIK002 - Scootle) T
Recognise different types of data and explore how the same data can be represented in different ways (ACTDIK008 - Scootle) T
Upper Primary (4-6)
Science
The growth and survival of living things are affected by physical conditions of their environment (ACSSU094 - Scootle) S, B
Sudden geological changes and extreme weather events can affect Earth’s surface (ACSSU096 - Scootle) S
Electrical energy can be transferred and transformed in electrical circuits and can be generated from a range of sources (ACSSU097- Scootle) S
Scientific knowledge is used to solve problems and inform personal and community decisions (ACSHE100 - Scootle) S
HASS (Geography)
Australia’s connections with other countries and how these change people and places (ACHASSK141 - Scootle) S, B
The environmental and human influences on the location and characteristics of a place and the management of spaces within them (ACHASSK113 - Scootle) S, B
HASS (Economics and Business)
Types of resources (natural, human, capital) and the ways societies use them to satisfy the needs and wants of present and future generations (ACHASSK120 - Scootle) S, B
The effect that consumer and financial decisions can have on the individual, the broader community and the environment (ACHASSK150 - Scootle) B
Design and Technologies
Recognise different types of data and explore how the same data can be represented in different ways (ACTDIK008 - Scootle) T
Digital Technologies
Examine how people in design and technologies occupations address competing considerations, including sustainability in the design of products, services, and environments for current and future use (ACTDEK019 - Scootle) S, B
Investigate how and why food and fibre are produced in managed environments and prepared to enable people to grow and be healthy (ACTDEK021 - Scootle) S, B
B - Beyond the Farm
S - The Sustainable Farm
T - Technology on the Farm
