April
National Soy Foods Month
In 2017, soybeans ranked 7th among Oklahoma agricultural commodities. The soybean is called "the miracle bean" because it has so many uses. Check out these facts about soybean, then try these lessons:
The soybean is the principal source of vegetable oil for the US diet; the leading supplier of protein needed to produce poultry, pork and beef and an important source of raw material for the chemical industry.
The soybean is one of several crops grown in Oklahoma for its oil. Learn more in this lesson:
Contact the Oklahoma Soybean Board for educational resources about soybeans.
Book
Bial, Raymond, The Super Soybean, Albert, Whitman and Company, 2007. (Grades 2-6)
This book captures the A-Z of soybeans - how soybeans are grown, harvested, chipped and marketed. It describes how soybeans are used for other purposes, like crayons, ink, fuel, plastics and soap. Also describes the history and origins of the soybean in China and how they came to grow so plentifully in the US.