iv About the Authors Janet Ward has 26 years of experience in the family and consumer sciences classroom. Her interest and expertise in the area of food science led to her involvement in developing the food science curriculum for the state of North Carolina. She has also written a multi- media and safety supplement to the food science curriculum and conducted a number of workshops on food science instruction. Janet is a member of several honorary societies and professional organizations, including the American Association of Family and Consumer Sciences. She has twice been a Carl Perkins grant recipient. She is a Christa McAuliffe Fellow, 2003 AAFCS Top 10 Teacher of the Year, and a 2004 Catawba County Teacher of the Year. Larry Ward has taught math and science at the secondary level for over 10 years. He has over 26 years of experience teaching physics at the community college level and served as chairman of the Division of Mathematics, Science, and Computer Science at Catawba Valley Community College. He has published works on technology and physics and served as a member of a computer science curriculum writing team. Larry is a member of the American Association of Physics Teachers. Jodi Songer Riedel has more than 18 years of teaching experience in agricultural education. She has instructed and created curriculum for courses in horticulture, sustainable agriculture, forestry, and environmental and natural resources for the state of North Carolina, the National FFA Organization, the FDA, the NC Sweetpotato Council, and others. Jodi also organizes and supervises urban service learning projects and Supervised Agricultural Experiences (SAEs) in Raleigh, North Carolina. She manages the school’s 1,800-square-foot greenhouse and oversees fruit, vegetable, and ornamental gardens within the school grounds. She funds and sustains her program each year through grants and annual plant sales, cultivated by students. Jodi’s dedication and enthusiasm earned her the Career Science Math and Technology Award from Burroughs Wellcome Fund, the Governor’s Environmental Educator of the Year for North Carolina, a Kenan Fellowship, and the Governor’s Teaching Network Award.