PIEFA

STORM AND FLOOD INDUSTRY RECOVERY PROGRAM

Creating resilience through empowering school curriculums about primary industries careers.

PIEFA’s Storm and Flood Industry Recovery Program (SFIRP) is jointly funded by the Australian and NSW Governments under the Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements. Although funding for this product has been provided by both Australian and NSW Governments, the material contained herein does not necessarily represent the views of either Government.

The project will improve community connectivity, linking schools with local primary industries and the many rewarding agricultural careers that are available in flood affected LGAs across NSW. By developing locally focussed teaching resources and careers programs, this project will deliver a stronger foundation to develop interest in local careers in the primary industries, building local resilience to improve recovery from flood disasters.

Contact

Ben Holmes, PIEFA SFIRP Project Manager
Email: Ben.holmes@piefa.edu.au  Phone: 0480 458 220 

Explore Storm & Flood Recovery Program Events & Resources

PAST EVENT RESOURCES

Explore 2023 SFIRP Event Resources

MID NORTH COAST CAREERS IN AGRICULTURE TOUR FOR CAREERS ADVISORS | APRIL 2023

The Mid North Coast Careers in Agriculture and Food Value Chains Tour was a 2-day workshop across flood-affected areas on NSW. The event took place in April 2023 and showcased a variety of careers and career pathways across multiple locations including Coffs Harbour, Bellingen, Dorrigo, Kempsey and Port Macquarie. 26 teachers and Careers advisors attended.

A Careers in Agriculture poster was developed with RDAMNC and a Career Harvest teaching resource to support students investigating careers in agriculture was also developed.

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HUNTER VALLEY CAREERS IN AGRICULTURE WORKSHOPS

The Hunter Valley Careers in Agriculture Workshops event was a two-day tour of NSW Department of Primary Industries sites, run in collaboration between PIEFA and NSW DPI.

The event took place November 30-December 1, 2023 and included tours and presentations. Teachers’ understanding of career opportunities in primary industries was developed.

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BANYULA FARM FIELD DAY | JULY 2023

This event was a collaborative between Banyula Farm, Southern Cross University and PIEFA. 43 teachers attended presentations on regenerative farming and workshopped a series of teaching resources targeting curriculum for agriculture, primary industries, science and geography.

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FARMING IN THE DIGITAL AGE AT UNE | OCTOBER 2023

This event was a collaboration between PIEFA and the University of New England (UNE). Attendees toured UNE sites and facilities and heard from speakers from PIEFA, UNE, Dairy NSW, Gallagher and John Deere. 

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INTEGRATING FOOD AND FIBRE WORKSHOPS | 2023

Cultivating Classrooms and Knowing and Growing Integrating Food and Fibre Workshops introduced secondary teachers to a broad range of topics and guest speakers. Teachers were also presented with a range of new educational resources.

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Explore 2024 SFIRP Event Resources

MAINTAINING POLLINATION FOR PLANT PRODUCTION USING A.I WITH INTEGRATED STEM WORKSHOPS

These events were a collaboration between PIEFA and Integrated STEM. They were held over three events at Richmond, Ettalong and Ulladulla. Resources included a Teacher’s Guide and Student Worksheets. 

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TEACHING RESOURCES

Explore Agricultural themed Teaching Resources

AGRICULTURAL CELEBRITY HEADS

Agricultural Celebrity Heads teaching resource aligns to year 7- 10 Design & Technologies and year 7 Science. 

What do students know about why specific animals and plants are used in agriculture?. Do they understand the structure and function of different characteristics of the food we eat? Can they relate the features of agricultural animals and plants to the practices undertaken by farmers to manage conditions in the Australian environment and supply demands relating to market forces? This resource targeting Technology Mandatory, Agriculture and Science teachers, consists of a teacher guide, answers and a student workbook centred around an interactive and collaborative classroom playing a celebrity heads game.

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PRODUCING POLLINATORS 

Producing Pollinators for Improved Orchard Yields is a year 7-8 resource that introduces students to the importance of pollinators for improving orchard yields, human management of bees for orchard pollination and the impacts of farm management on the sustainability of a farm enterprise.

This teacher guide consists of 3 activities (and extension activities), worksheets and answer guide. These activities will build students’ vocabulary and knowledge around pollinators and their impact on food production, assist them to develop ideas to solve existing problems, and design and build their own pollinator habitat box.

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FARMING A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE

Farming a Sustainable Future Worksheet provides a Stage 4 and 5 Agriculture-aligned activity for schools and classrooms with access to a KinetiKit. The worksheet provides instructions for the building of the KinetiKit and investigates grazing methods, stocking rates and sustainable farming practices. 

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HUMAN INTERACTION IN FOOD CHAINS

Human Interaction in Food Chains and Food Webs aligns to year 7 science and year 9 geography curricula. This resource introduces students to food chains, food webs, and how human activities can affect the interactions within these systems. Students will design a food chain and food web based on the ecological interactions on Banyula farm. An overarching theme of sustainable ecosystems will be embedded throughout the lesson, along with the influence of science on agricultural practices and the management of environments.

This teacher guide consists of 3 activities (and extension activities), worksheets and answer guide. These activities will improve student’s knowledge and vocabulary around food chains and webs and will discover the regenerative agricultural practices utilised at Banyula farm.

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REDUCING FLOOD RISKS | TEACHING RESOURCE

Reducing Flood Risks on Food and Fibre Production: Banyula Case Study is a year 9 geography resource that will help students identify agricultural land at risk of flooding using satellite images and mapping. They will identify solutions in relation to land use and cropping choice to ensure sustainable food and fibre production.

This resource consists of 3 activities, worksheets and answer guide.

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PRE-START MEETINGS | TEACHING RESOURCE

Pre-Start Meetings, Job Safety Analysis (JSA) and Safe Work Instructions (SWI) – Tractor and Machinery Operations aligns with Stage 6 VET Primary Industries and Stage 5 and 6 Agriculture curricula. Students will learn the knowledge and skills required to carry out enterprise work health and safety policies and procedures.

This teacher guide consists of two activities, worksheets and answer guide. These activities will improve students knowledge of workplace health and safety procedures, hazards and directions.

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MAINTAINING POLLINATION FOR PLANT PRODUCTION USING AI | TEACHING RESOURCE

Maintaining Pollination for Plant production using AI is aligned to the Producing Pollinators for improved Orchard yields teaching resource. This teacher guide and printable student worksheets are aligned with content from the Stage 4 Technology Mandatory, Stage 4 Science, Stage 5 Agricultural Technologies, Science, Geography, and ISTEM courses.

The teaching resource follows the 5E model of pedagogy exploring the role of pollinators in food production, challenges, biodiversity, sustainability, innovation and technological solutions to a current agricultural issue. Students will engage in a series of 5 activities and produce a video record of their teamwork which could be used as a form of summative assessment of learning.

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AGRICULTURAL TECHNOLOGY | TEACHING RESOURCE

Agricultural Technology: Exploring the New Frontier aligns to year 9 and 10 geography, design and technologies and digital technologies (Australian curriculum) and stage 5 agricultural technology and year 9 sustainable biomes (NSW curriculum). This resource introduces students to the history of agriculture, current Australian farming practices and the role that technology plays within the food and fibre sector.

This resource consists of 3 activities (and an optional extension activity), worksheets and answer guide. These activities will expose students to past farming practices, how new technology can resolve issues and challenges faced by producers, build their vocabulary and share existing knowledge and ideas about agriculture and the future of farming in the digital age. Career opportunities will also be explored.

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FARMER TIME | EXPERTS IN THE FIELD | TEACHING RESOURCE

Farmer Time | Experts In The Field – Exploring Drones in Agriculture aligns with year 7-10/stage 4-5 Science, Agricultural Technology and Design & Technology curricula.

Students will engage with four drone experts, focusing on the innovative ways drone technology in agriculture is used to improve efficiency, sustainability, and precision farming practices.

This teacher guide consists of four activities, worksheets and answer guide. These activities will develop students’ knowledge and appreciation of Australian agricultural production and the impacts of drone technology on the ongoing development of agriculture in the country.

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SPIN THE CAREER CHEESE WHEEL | CAREER EXPO ACTIVITY
Spin the Career Cheese Wheel | Career Expo Activity. This resource is aligned with the year 7-10 Design and Technologies and NSW Agriculture Technology curriculum. The resource has two activities designed to support a school career expo or career workshops in a classroom or event setting. Students will use the RIASEC test to familiarise themselves with their personality preferences that match a particular career environment within a dairy industry context. Students will develop a career web of the industry and explore a range of roles that combine to maintain the dairy food value chain.
 
COTTON PRODUCTION AS A GLOBAL ECONOMIC ACTIVITY

The Cotton Production as a Global Economic Activity  resource for the new NSW HSC Geography syllabus will provide a niche study of cotton production for the global economic activity of agriculture within the topic of Global Sustainability. Students will examine a range of strategies for sustainability for cotton production.

The teacher guide consists of two activities, worksheets and an answer guide. These activities will build students’ knowledge and understanding of the global economic activity of agriculture and cotton production, whilst developing their HSC writing skills.

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DAIRY PRODUCTION AS A GLOBAL ECONOMIC ACTIVITY

The Dairy Production as a Global Economic Activity resource for the new NSW HSC Geography syllabus will provide a niche study of dairy production for the global economic activity of agriculture within the topic of Global Sustainability. Students will examine a range of strategies for sustainability for dairy production. The teacher guide consists of two activities, worksheets and an answer guide. These activities will build students’ knowledge and understanding of the global economic activity of agriculture and dairy production, whilst developing their HSC writing skills.

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HORTICULTURE ACTIVITIES

Horticulture activities – This simplified resource was designed to support our SFIRP horticultural workshop and contains a list of some hands-on horticultural activities that can be incorporated into plant production units for both Agricultural Technologies and the AHC20422 Certificate 2 in Horticulture for the Primary Industries course. Teachers will need to consider their sites, existing school enterprises and equipment and develop the activities into structured lessons. Many of the activities provide materials/products that can be used to extend learning from Stage 4 to 6 curriculum such as cuttings in Stage 4 used as potted products, rootstock for grafting or bonsai projects in Stage 5 or 6.

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SEED PACK | EDUCATIONAL RESOURCE
Teaching resource: Insectary and pasture regenerator seed blend supports the Banyula ‘Producing Pollinators for Improved Orchard Yields’ teaching resource.
 
The SFIRP program has been providing an Autumn seed packet to attendees at events, workshops and expos for teachers to use with experimental trials within Agriculture and Science classes.
 
There are 9 different species of plants that perform different functions to improve soils and farm biodiversity, such as green manure/carbon storage, biomass for foragers, nitrogen fixation, biotillage for infiltration and flowers to support pollinators and beneficial bugs.
 
SUBJECT SELECTION TOOL | EDUCATIONAL RESOURCE

Teaching resource: Subject Selection Tool supports secondary teachers to introduce their students to the variety of roles available in the agricultural sector. 

The classroom resources consist of a poster and PowerPoint presentation. The first few slides of the PowerPoint presentation are aligned to the NSW curriculum, however the remaining content is applicable to teachers across the country. 

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Farmer Time | Experts In The Field – Video Resources

Aquaculture: Oyster Farming
The Black Soldier Fly

CAREERS IN AGRICULTURE VIDEOS

Career Q&A Video Sessions Digital Learning Kits

These Career Q&A Digital Learning Kits have been designed to showcase the diverse career pathways and opportunities within agriculture. Each kit contains 3 videos and an associated resource. 

Traditional Farming Digital Learning Kit

This Digital Learning is centered around Traditional Farming, with a particular focus on the cotton industry.

Discover Exciting Careers from our Industry Partners

Learn about the range of opportunities available in the Australian Agricultural Industry.

Mid North Coast Event Videos
UNE Farming in the Digital Age Event Videos

SFIRP PRIMEZONE ACADEMY COURSES

Discover free online agricultural focused courses for your students

PIEFA’s Primezone Academy is the new PIEFA teaching and learning online course website. Here you will find interactive agricultural science courses your students can enrol into for free.

PIEFA’s Storm and Flood Industry Recovery Program (SFIRP) is jointly funded by the Australian and NSW Governments under the Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements.

Although funding for this product has been provided by both Australian and NSW Governments, the material contained herein does not necessarily represent the views of either Government.

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