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 grown 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 free 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 Crn on a Kansas Family farm” book written by Sharon Thielen, Ph.D.
• Social Media package for advertising
• Poster for advertising
• Supplies for each unit requested.

Each unit includes:
Instruction guide
Online video(s) to expand on the topic
Activity supplies and instruction video
Corn Snack
Extension activity/TEACH-FLEX lesson
Online Challenge

For Your Social Media Channels
Social media graphics and messaging included to publicize the “We Grow Corn!” activities at your library.

Changing Units for Repeat Readers

There are no limits to the number of times librarians can request materials. This allows you to use the library series every year. Check out ways you can make the units different for repeat readers who come back to participate in the “We Grow Corn!” Library Series. Let’s keep your readers learning about corn!

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 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.

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.

Harvest is the best time of year when it comes to growing corn because the farmer gets to see how successful they were at growing their crop. During Unit 4 the reader will learn about harvest, the process of getting the corn from the field to the elevator, ethanol plant or storage bins and how harvest is a fun time for the family.

In Unit 5, the reader will learn how corn harvested in Kansas is used. First, the reader will learn the difference between sweet corn and field corn as field corn is the most common corn grown in Kansas and the Midwest. There are over 3,500 uses for corn, many are in products we use every day, but the main uses for field corn are for livestock feed and fuel.

Unit 6 ends the “We Grow Corn!” library series. The reader will learn why we need farmers, and that agriculture is a big industry full of many job opportunities. This unit allows the readers to celebrate farmers and agriculture.

Please allow 2-3 weeks to receive your supplies.  Due to high demand, if you order your supplies several months in advance, we will start processing your order 1 month prior to your requested activity date.