New UI Extension curriculum highlights Idaho’s iconic potatoes

Harold B. Lee Elementary School third graders gave answers ranging from accurate to far-fetched in response to University of Idaho Extension 4‑H Youth Development Coordinator Cherie Carter’s question: “Where do potatoes come from?”

“New Jersey!” “The grocery store!” “Idaho!” “The forest!”

Carter, who is based in Franklin County, has recently been visiting elementary classrooms in the Preston and Westside school districts to guest teach Extension’s new ePotato curriculum. The multimedia content was designed for use by Idaho school teachers and 4‑H leaders and meets content standards for a host of third- through fifth-grade subjects — including math, science, language arts, geography and social studies.

EPotato includes five, one-hour lessons and may be downloaded for free. It’s the first installment in a series of planned Extension lessons to educate Idaho youth about the major crops raised in their own communities.

While agriculture is a foreign concept to many of Carter’s students before starting ePotato, it’s a way of life for some others. For example, third-grader Avonlea Beutler had a very specific, informed take on Carter’s question about where potatoes come from.

“Circle A Farms!” the girl said confidently, naming her family’s business.

Beutler explained that her family raises potatoes, among many other commodities, and hosts an annual Potato Day, attended by about 100 community members who visit the farm to buy fresh potatoes and sample free, homemade fries.

Carter planned to make three additional visits to Harold B. Lee Elementary to teach the remaining ePotato lessons, including a few memorable hands-on activities.

“We’ll use a potato to make a lightbulb turn on,” Carter said. “One lesson talks about the nutrition of potatoes and different recipes to try. I’m thinking of making something with potatoes and bringing it to the kids.”

Matt Fisher, a 4‑H area Extension educator focusing on agriculture and STEM, and Siew Guan Lee, an Extension educator in Twin Falls County specializing in health and nutrition, collaborated on developing ePotato. Fisher identified the need for new curriculum about major Idaho crops after conducting a community needs assessment in the fall of 2022. As a starting point for their project, they received permission to incorporate a seldom-used potato curriculum developed in 2018 by Extension and U of I’s College of Education, Health and Human Sciences.

Learning modules cover how potatoes are grown, the history and geography of different varieties, why Idaho is well suited for growing potatoes, the tuber’s nutritional component and health benefits, how to prepare healthy and tasty meals using spuds and more.

“A goal for Siew and myself is that kids should be more aware of what is around them. If they drive by a field, they may say, ‘Oh, that’s a potato field,’” Fisher said. “Idaho is known for its potatoes, and I don’t think most youth are aware of what potatoes do for the state, what type of potatoes there are, where they are grown or anything like that.”

The UI Extension Publications team oversaw programming of ePotato interactive lessons and produced videos associated with each module.

Scientists including UI Extension Potato Storage Specialist Nora Olsen vetted the curriculum for accuracy. Fourth-grade teachers in the Twin Falls School District and a couple of 4‑H coordinators helped test various parts of the lessons.

Fisher and Lee published ePotato in November 2025 and received an internal Extension grant to publicize the program at agricultural and Extension conferences, 4‑H in-service meetings, Ag in the Classroom summer workshops hosted for Idaho teachers and youth education-centered events. Idaho’s Ag in the Classroom program has helped with promoting ePotato, which has already been downloaded by teachers in school districts throughout the state, 4‑H leaders, parents who homeschool their children and others.

Fisher and Lee plan to create future curriculum teaching children about sugar beets and wheat.