"We Grow Corn!" Library Series

The “We Grow Corn! Raising Corn on a Kansas Family Farm” book was written with the goal to educate the reader about how corn is grown and what it is used for. Agriculture is the largest industry in the state of Kansas. The book follows the McCauley farm family and their friends through a year of raising corn on their Kansas family farm!

Kansas farmers grow more corn than any other grain, yet many people do not realize that the corn grow in Kansas is not sweet corn but instead field corn. This book, written in 2019, has been introduced to schools through our Kansas Corn STEM program. However, we have not yet introduced the book through our  public libraries. This series allows your library to be the first to offer this book to the public and we have provided fun activities and other resources to get the readers excited and into your library.

Library Series Kits

Librarians can order kits that will include the items based on the  unit(s) you plan to implement.

Kits Include:

  • Instructions on how to use the Library Series
  • “We Grow Corn! Raising corn on a Kansas family farm” book written by Sharon Thielen, Ph.D.
  • Social Media package for advertising (found at wegrowcorn.com)
  • Poster for advertising
  • Supplies for each unit requested.
  • Each unit includes:
    • Instruction guide
    • Online video(s) to expand on the topic (available at wegrowcorn.com under each unit)
    • Activity supplies and instruction video
    • Corn Snack
    • Extension activity/TEACH-FLEX lesson
    • Online Challenge

Unit 1: Our Farm

Unit 1 gives an overview of what will be learned throughout the series. By reading the entire “We Grow Corn!” book, readers are introduced to the farmers, Brad McCauley and Steve Rome, and gets them excited to learn about growing corn. In the remaining units, readers will dig deeper into the topics of growing corn referring back to the book.

Unit 2: Let's Plant Corn!

Unit 2 teaches the reader about the process of planting corn and what a corn kernel needs to germinate. Getting a kernel to germinate is similar for many plants but farmers need to make sure that each kernel emerges out of the ground and grows at the same rate as every other plant in the field to have the best crop.

Unit 3: Growing Corn

In Unit 3 the reader will learn how corn grows and what is needed to grow a healthy corn plant. Farmers are faced with many challenges throughout the growing season. Insects and weeds may impact the plants badly. The amount of water will also determine how much the corn plant will produce.

Request Materials from the "We Grow Corn!" Public Library Program

Kansas Corn STEM is excited to provide the “We Grow Corn!” library series. This series gives library staff the flexibility to implement all or part of the six units as part of your programming. You can choose the pace in which to implement the units, if done in order.

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