What is Tug-of-War with Grain?

Tug-of-War with Grain is an exciting new series of four 30-minute activities for middle school and high school-aged youth. The activities help students strengthen critical thinking skills and see math and science concepts at work in their daily lives.

This new curriculum was developed by ISU Extension with Farm Safety 4 Just Kids, an Iowa-based international farm safety organization.

Activities in the curriculum are designed to answer many real-world questions by applying scientific principles---such as force, resistance, pressure, velocity and friction---to a key farm danger, grain entrapment.

Lesson plans and other materials are included in a colorful and sturdy three-ring binder. Ideas for additional challenges sessions also are included.

Why is grain safety important?

More than 200 farmers or family members have died in grain within the past three decades. One-third of all people trapped in flowing grain are children.

The real tragedy is that many people who've been caught in a grain wagon, bin or storage area did not understand the risks they were taking by being in such a situation. People often underestimate the speed and great force at which grain entrapments occur.

This curriculum is designed to reach rural youth at an age when many begin to work independently on the farm. They also may be responsible for younger siblings, who are just as curious about grain.

The activities provide youth with a safe environment to explore the math and science concepts related to flowing grain and, in the process, learn an important safety lesson.

Curriculum overview

Tug-of-War with Grain has four core sessions.

Session 1: What holds people in grain?
Session 2: How do people suffocate in grain?
Session 3: How are people strangled in grain?
Session 4: How do people get trapped in grain?

Each session has:

objectives, student prerequisites and skills developed in the session
materials list and instructions for an activity or alternate activity
questions for introduction or reflection
ways to apply what's been learned
masters to produce overheads and student worksheets
safety tips for the classroom and the farm

These students from Jesup High School work through Session 4 in the curriculum.

Suggestions for use

Tug-of-War with Grain is built around a simple concept:

What I hear, I forget; what I see, I remember, and what I do, I understand.

This resource is for you if:

you teach middle school or high school math, science, health or agricultural education
you organize or present at farm safety youth day camps
you lead or advise a youth club, 4-H group, or FFA
you're active in a community health, family, or safety educational outreach program
you want to help young people use their minds and discover important life lessons
or you're simply interested in seeing safer farms

Sample pages from Tug-of-War with Grain

Click here to view eight selected pages from Session One including a session overview, background, instructions for an activity and alternate activity, the leader's worksheet key, plus an idea for an additional challenge.

How to order Tug-of-War with Grain

You can order it from the ISU Extension Distribution Center on campus by telephone, (515) 294-5247, or through the Online Store. Ask for publication EDC-116.

Tug-of-War with Grain also is available from Farm Safety 4 Just Kids. You can order it by website or use their toll free number, 1-800-423-KIDS.

Who developed Tug-of-War with Grain?

Charles  Schwab, Ph.D., associate professor and Extension safety specialist

Dr. Schwab received his agricultural engineering degrees from the University of Kentucky and is on faculty in the Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering Department at ISU. He is the director and coordinator of ISU Extension's Safe Farm educational and awareness program, helping to make Iowa farms a safer place to work and live. Dr. Schwab teaches a senior level agricultural safety course and conducts research on agricultural safety issues. He has received awards for educational materials and extension programming. He holds membership in the American Society of Agricultural Engineering, (ASAE), American Society of Engineering Education, (ASEE), National Safety Council, (NSC), Research Society of North America, (Sigma Xi), and National Institute for Farm Safety, (NIFS).

Laura Miller, M.S., communications specialist

Ms. Miller received an undergraduate degree in newspaper journalism from the University of Kansas, and a master's degree in mass communication from Iowa State University in 1993. As a member of the Safe Farm team since it began in 1991, she has been involved with the production and promotion of farm safety materials. She also has written several research papers for presentation about planning communication campaigns, and prepares newsletters for several groups including the Iowa Farm Safety Council. She heads the Iowa chapter of Agricultural Communicators in Education (ACE) and has received 10 national first-place awards for her work as well as the ACE Award of Excellence for her professional contributions in media relations.

Donald Goering, Ph.D., Extension youth development specialist for youth and 4-H

Dr. Goering has his degrees from ISU in the adult and extension education, working for ISU Extension for 39 years in several positions. His current position is 4-H youth development specialist working in the volunteer development and the project areas of mechanical sciences and communications. Safety is a very important area for youth participating in the Iowa 4-H Youth Development program. Included is the protection of the 4-H'ers through the screening program he helped establish for new volunteers in the Iowa 4-H program. Dr. Goering has received several significant awards for educational programs in his areas of responsibility.