Ontario educators are in search of factual, curriculum-linked classroom resources about food and agriculture. Students are more curious than ever before about understanding the science behind food production. Genomics, a field of science that encompasses all of a living thing’s genes (the genome) and the interaction between those genes and the environment, is a topic at the very heart of food & agriculture innovation.

Bringing genomics into classrooms, Ontario Genomics is empowering our youth and educators to understand this field and its far-reaching social, economic, and environmental impacts. 

In partnership with AgScape, the Agricultural Adaptation Council and Genome Canada, we launched a one-of-a-kind Agriculture and Food-themed Teacher’s Guide ‘An Exploration of Genomics in Agriculture and Food’. This resource brings the fast-paced world of food and agriculture innovation into Ontario classrooms. 

“We are fortunate to forge this unique and powerful partnership with AgScape and the Agricultural Adaptation Council to bring impactful, real-world scientific advancements into classrooms across Ontario,” said Dr. Bettina Hamelin, President and CEO of Ontario Genomics. “Knowledge is created throughout life and our ability to learn is nurtured in our schools. It is exciting to be creating resources to help the next generation learn how genomics and biology can impact their everyday lives. These resources will help dispel misinformation and provide people with foundational knowledge of potential of science.”

Taylor Selig, AgScape’s former Executive Director said: “The release of this Teacher’s Guide and lesson plans marks an exciting expansion of the scope of resources we’re creating for Ontario teachers. That expansion is made possible through collaborating with Ontario Genomics, Genome Canada, and the Agricultural Adaptation Council to produce a resource that combines a deep dive into an innovative science topic with learning the practical application of that science on Ontario’s Food & Agriculture sector.”