Sugarcane Educational Packet and Videos Available
By Sam Irwin, American Sugar Cane League
The American Sugar Cane League educational brochure called From Louisiana’s Sugar Belt to Your Table is available for use in the classroom and other educational purposes.
The full color, 16-page packet is designed for teachers planning lessons on sugarcane and students of all ages to better understand how Louisiana’s top crop is produced.
Sugarcane producer Bryan Simon of Vermilion Parish and chairman of the League’s public relations committee, said more than 16,000 Louisiana residents work in the sugarcane industry.
“There’s lots of information in the packet about how ancient civilizations discovered the sugarcane plant, where it came from and how the chemistry of sugar helps in cooking and baking,” Simon said. “It’s really a fascinating plant when you stop and think about it.”
Simon said Louisiana farmers produce enough sugar to satisfy the demand for 60 million Americans. “That’s pretty amazing that the farmers from 23 parishes produce that much sugar.”
The packet includes lessons entitled “One Sweet History,” “Where Does Sugar Come From,” “Captured Sunshine,” “A Closer Look at Sugar,” “From the Field to the Table,” “It’s Sweet to the Environment,” “More Than Just Sweet Taste,” and “A Sweet Part of a Healthy Diet.”
The lessons are printed on high-quality paper and illustrated in full color with photographs, but is available online for download at the League’s website at www.LaCane.org/learn.
Teachers and other interested parties can contact the American Sugar Cane League at 985-448-3707, 800-883-2875 or via email at lasugar@amscl.org to request “From Louisiana’s Sugar Belt to Your Table” packets.
In addition to the lesson plan, the League’s educational videos From the Cane Field to Your Sugar Bowl starring Farmer Joe and Marie! and Raising Cane in Louisiana are also available.
From the Cane Field to Your Sugar Bowl starring Farmer Joe and Marie! targets elementary school students while Raising Cane in Louisiana is for general audiences. Both videos are available online or a DVD on request. Multiple copies are $10 each plus shipping.