Developing Individuals, Growing Stewards

Helping Youth Understand the Widespread Impact and Importance of Agriculture. 

Developing Individuals, Growing Stewards (DIGS) is a curriculum developed by Colorado State University’s 4-H STEM AmeriCorps program and faculty in CSU’s Agricultural Education Program. Designed for 3rd-5th graders, the curriculum covers a wide range of topics across eight units with a total of twenty-four lessons. Each lesson contains Colorado Academic Standards, 4-H life skills, background information on the subject material, vocabulary lists, career connections, and more.

A New Way to Introduce Agriculture in the Classroom.

A Free Curriculum for Teachers, Parents and more.

Anyone can teach DIGS.  Whatever your role – if you’re looking to build afterschool programs or a homeschooling parent or classroom teacher looking for a cohesive lesson plan to teach Colorado agriculture – DIGS is your solution.

DIGS was piloted last summer through a two-week summer camp encompassing all twenty-four lessons in the curriculum (download the camp schedule here).  The action-packed days were filled with interactive activities covering a range of topics, from plant health to genetics to basic nutrition. The instructors included a CSU Extension 4-H Agent, a CSU graduate student, and an AmeriCorps member with no previous background in agriculture. By the end of the two-week camp, seventy-one percent of participants increased their knowledge of Colorado agriculture and their appreciation of STEM.

Download the DIGS Curriculum today.

Complete the form below to download the complete DIGS curriculum.