TEACHING WITH AUSTRALIAN SUGARCANE EDUCATION RESOURCES
The CANEGROWERS Education Program connects classrooms with the Australia’s sugarcane industry, giving teachers access to engaging, curriculum‑aligned resources that bring agriculture to life. Designed to complement key areas of the Australian Curriculum, the program helps educators deliver meaningful, relevant learning experiences that spark curiosity and deepen student understanding.
By exploring the paddock‑to‑packet journey, sustainability practices, industry innovation, and diverse career pathways, the program empowers teachers to inspire the next generation of thinkers, problem‑solvers, and leaders in one of Australia’s most important industries.
CANEGROWERS is the peak representative body for Australia’s sugarcane growers, providing a unified voice for growers whilst supporting a strong and sustainable industry. For over a century, sugarcane has powered regional communities along 2000km of coastline, employing thousands and contributing more than $2.5 billion to Queensland’s economy.
In partnership with PIEFA, CANEGROWERS has developed a range of engaging, curriculum-aligned resources to help students, teachers and communities explore the world of Australian sugarcane, from paddock to packet.
Resources include:
- Comprehensive teacher guides
- Hands-on student activities and worksheets
- Classroom posters
- Answer sheets
PRIMARY RESOURCES
Year 6 | Sugarcane STEM Challenge // PRIMEZONE
In this Year 6 STEM Challenge, students interpret and analyse data from digital and other sources, applying efficient mental, written and digital strategies to solve problems involving whole numbers, decimals, fractions and percentages. Students also make connections between decimal representations and the metric system, strengthening their mathematical reasoning in real-world contexts.
Years 5–8 | One Plant, Many Products // PRIMEZONE
Students explore how sugarcane is grown in managed environments and examine the practices used to improve farm productivity, profitability and sustainability. Using Design Thinking, students develop solutions to environmental challenges and investigate how science supports sustainability across the sugarcane supply chain. A downloadable PDF with workbook answers is provided for teacher support.
Years 3-4 and 5-6 | Code Club Australia – Sweeten the Crop
2024 Moonhack Challenge had over 30,000 registrations!
CANEGROWERS collaborated with Code Club Australia to participate in the global coding chall.enge Moonhack 2024
Check out the Sweeten the Crop project which uses Scratch to design a clicker game to grow sugarcane. Coders learn about irrigation techniques on crops to grow the perfect crop. This project is supported by a downloadable lesson plan which has been translated into 17 languages, a blog post with additional resources including a Code Along video featuring a interview with Matt Kealley and Shikira Kalatzis from CANEGROWERS.
This coding challenge is aligned to V8.4 & V9 of the Australian curriculum and includes curriculum outcome links to Design & Technologies curriculum for Years 3-4 and Years 5-6.
George the Farmer – Curriculum Aligned STEM Resource – Prep to Year 4
CANEGROWERS and George the Farmer have partnered once again to bring educators a brand-new, curriculum-aligned STEM resource for Foundation to Year 4 students.
Learn About Sugarcane is a free teaching resource designed to spark curiosity and engagement through hands-on, cross-curricular learning. Built around the George the Farmer Sugarcane video and accompanying In the Classroom episodes, the resource features classroom-ready activities that support curriculum outcomes while helping students discover the journey of sugarcane from paddock to product.
Flexible and easy to use, activities can be printed, displayed on an interactive whiteboard, or integrated into digital learning platforms such as Google Slides.
Link – https://www.georgethefarmer.com.au/products/sugarcane
George the Farmer – Sugarcane Train Song
Sing and dance along with George the Farmer, Shaun and Simone in this fun and catchy song all about sugarcane.
Written for George the Farmer’s paddock to product sugarcane episode, Sugarcane Train introduces students to how sugarcane is grown, harvested and turned into everyday products like sugar, electricity and fuel — all through music and movement.
SECONDARY RESOURCES
Years 5–8 | One Plant, Many Products // PRIMEZONE
Students explore how sugarcane is grown in managed environments and examine the practices used to improve farm productivity, profitability and sustainability. Using Design Thinking, students develop solutions to environmental challenges and investigate how science supports sustainability across the sugarcane supply chain. A downloadable PDF with workbook answers is provided for teacher support.
Years 7–8 | Sugarcane Production – Farmer Time Resource Kit // PRIMEZONE
A digital resource kit designed for teachers and educators across Australia, with a series of digital (virtual) Farmer Time farm tours that explore food and fibre production in Australia. There is a 30-minute session with sugarcane growers Zenan Reinaudo and Paul Marbelli talking all things cane growing. They’ll share insights into a day-in-the-life of a cane producer and the features of cane production in Australia.
Years 9–10 | Growing Smarter: Exploring Australian Sugarcane Production // PRIMEZONE
This five-lesson unit explores the Australian sugarcane industry, focusing on the technologies and innovations that support sustainable production. The resource includes teacher lesson guides, ready-to-use student activities, equipment lists and answers, with curriculum alignment to Australian Curriculum v9 and the NSW Agriculture Technology 7–10 Syllabus (2019).
CANEGROWERS VR Experience – Paddock to Packet
A 2D retelling of CANEGROWERS immersive virtual reality trip through Queensland’s sugarcane industry. This ‘Paddock to Packet’ tour is also available as a 360 VR experience please contact info@canegrowers.com.au to learn more.
Planet Shapers CANEGROWERS
Queensland’s cane growers are celebrated for their ingenuity and innovation on Planet Shapers, a TV show sharing stories of innovation and adaptability from across Australia. Check out the video to see CANEGROWERS Chairman Owen Menkens and Tully grower Jamie Dore talk about sustainable farming practices, Smartcane BMP and explain how blockchain technology will help bolster Australia’s reputation as one of the world’s most sustainable sugar producers.
POSTERS & CARD GAME
Years F-12 | Sugarcane Posters
Developed by CANEGROWERS, these engaging posters support teachers and students to explore the science, systems and real-world applications of sugarcane production in Australia. Designed for classroom use, the posters visually unpack how sugarcane grows and how one plant contributes to a wide range of everyday products, helping students build agricultural literacy and connect learning to the food and fibre industries. They align with curriculum priorities across Science, Geography, Technologies and Careers education, and can be used as standalone learning tools or as part of broader teaching sequences.
Education Packs – Free
CANEGROWERS Education Packs provide practical, curriculum-aligned resources that help students explore one of Australia’s most versatile crops – sugarcane. Available for primary school, secondary school and general information purposes, each pack offers an engaging snapshot of how sugarcane is grown, the conditions it needs to thrive, and the many products it contributes to – from raw sugar to biofuels and renewable electricity.
Each pack includes vibrant classroom posters, hands-on activity worksheets and links to free, curriculum-aligned resources to extend learning. Designed to be ready-to-use, these materials support both guided instruction and student-led exploration, making it easy to bring the story of sugarcane to life in any learning environment.
Years 7-10 | Sugarcane Supply Chain Card Game // PRIMEZONE
By participating in an engaging, hands-on card game, students in Year 7 to 10 will learn to sequence the supply chain of Australian sugar from farm to consumer. Additionally, they will gain an understanding of technologies and careers involved in the supply chain.
CANEGROWERS MULTIMEDIA
Discover the fascinating world of Australian sugar cane and its rich history through engaging virtual bus tours, educational videos and more! The CANEGROWERS Youtube channel is a one-stop-shop for all your lesson planning needs. Perfect for bringing your classroom to life and supplementing your lessons with interactive and informative content.
With a wealth of resources and information on the sugar cane industry, this teacher resource is not to be missed! From the history of sugar cane, to its production and the people behind it, you’ll find everything you need to bring this important part of Australian history and agriculture to your students.
AG DAY // DIGITAL LEARNING KIT (PRIMARY AND SECONDARY)
Access a series of short Australian Curriculum-aligned videos and accompanying student worksheets celebrating STEM and innovation in grains production.
Five key questions have been answered by inspiring stakeholders working in different areas of the grains sector. Hear about the technologies and innovations helping them sustainably produce Australia’s food and fibre. Student worksheets are provided for added engagement.
VIDEO LINKS
Access pre-recorded PRIMARY and SECONDARY Farmer Time videos relating to this Digital Learning Kit.
PRIMEZONE ACADEMY COURSES
Explore free, interactive courses on the Australian sugarcane industry at Primezone Academy.
These curriculum-aligned courses cover grain production, supply chains, technologies, and careers. Students can enrol individually or learn together in class. New food and fibre topics are added regularly.
PIEFA offers a range of free professional development opportunities to support teachers delivering food and fibre education. Access materials designed to build teacher confidence and deepen understanding of key food, fibre, and sustainability topics.
EXPLOING SUGARCANE IN THE CLASSROOM TEACHER PROFESSIONAL
DEVELOPMENT WEBINAR
Access this free interactive webinar showcasing curriculum-aligned resources exploring the sugarcane industry.
CANEGROWERS has a new mailing list specifically for teachers and educators. By signing up, you will be the first to hear about sugar cane related new educational resources, news and events, career opportunities, and future engagement opportunities.