Science teacher Cindy Smith has received a nearly $2,000 grant from Cargill's Minneapolis headquarters to initiate the project. But the heart of the program will be on-site classes at the Gainesville Cargill plant on West Ridge Road, which manufactures soybean oil and mayonnaise.

"It's not just touring the plant. It's an integrated lesson," said Smith.

Plant manager Mike Do-beck said Cargill's water-treatment facility and stormwater management program will be used as teaching tools.

"I'm a strong advocate of getting kids out in the real world to apply what they're learning in school," he said.

Initially, about 100 Gainesville Middle School students will take field trips to the plant. Lessons will be tailored to complement what they are learning in the classroom.

"Sixth-graders study physical science, seventh-graders life science," said Smith. "And eighth-graders spend a lot of time on the water cycle.

"Our goal is to have the curriculum in place in about two months."

This isn't the first time Smith has collaborated with Cargill. In summer 2001, the company sent her and another teacher to the Key Issues Institute, a workshop for environmental educators in Keystone, Colo.

"We wanted to continue our relationship with the school," said Dobeck. "A few months after Cindy got back, we sat down and talked about what we could do."

Cargill does not usually play host to school field trips, but Dobeck said there won't be any concerns about safety.

"The areas I'm planning on taking kids are outside, such as our stormwater detention pond. They won't be exposed to machinery or equipment," he said.

Dobeck added that he would also like to get the city of Gainesville involved, possibly arranging trips to the municipal water-treatment plant.

In addition to the plant visits, Smith's students will begin doing water-quality sampling on Lake Lanier. They already have been monitoring Rock Creek in Wilshire Trails park, under the Adopt-a-Stream program.

The grant money will pay for water-sampling equipment, as well as instructional materials for the classroom.

"Cargill has been just wonderful," said Smith. "But I think once the program is started it can sustain itself, even without another grant."