December Highlights from MN Ag in the Classroom

Minnesota Department of Agriculture sent this bulletin at 12/23/2016 04:14 PM CST

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Minnesota Agriculture in the Classroom

Minnesota  Agriculture in the Classroom Newsletter

December 2016

Happy Holidays from Minnesota Agriculture in the Classroom!

Minnesota Agriculture in the Classroom (MAITC) would like to thank the educational and agricultural professionals who have helped us grow agricultural literacy during 2016! An extra special thanks goes out to those who assisted in the production of MAITC's first ever Virtual Field Trip and those who watched us live as we learned the Facebook Live system. We hope all of you continue to build agricultural literacy with us in 2017!

Teacher Feature- Jackie McCormick, Houston Elementary School

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Where and what level do you currently teach and why did you choose to become an educator?

I am a first grade teacher at Houston Elementary School.  I chose to become an educator because every single day of my career is challenging and rewarding.  I have the opportunity to help children grow to be good citizens who care for others and think critically about the world around them.

How has agriculture and the Minnesota Agriculture in the Classroom Program impacted your students and instruction?

As the daughter of dairy farmers, I grew up sharing my passion for agriculture and my family’s way of life with others.  As a teacher, it came naturally to continue to share my passion for agriculture with my students by connecting agriculture to what they learn in our classroom.  I teach in a rural farming community so some of my students do have a family connection to farming.  However, many of my students have very little personal experience with agriculture.......
Jackie

>> Read More

Save the Date: March 3rd, Minnesota Schoolyard Garden Conference

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Schoolyard gardens provide a hands-on opportunity for students to meet academic standards engage with community partners, learn about agriculture and healthy eating and connect with natural systems. Whether you are a beginner or schoolyard garden veteran, join us on March 3rd to learn innovative strategies for creating and sustaining a thriving schoolyard garden.

Fantastic Resources

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STEM Career Lessons

A series of 5 related lessons to promote the development of STEM abilities and critical thinking skills, while fostering an appreciation for careers involved in livestock production.  The curriculum includes real-life challenges for students to investigate, inquiry-based labs, and opportunities to plan and construct models. These can be accessed for FREE on the Minnesota Agriculture in the Classroom Curriculum Matrix.
purple plow

American Farm Bureau Federation Purple Plow Challenge  

The Purple Plow Challenge encourages 6-8 grade students to research scenarios related to food, hunger and sustainability and build their own prototypes to solve the defined problem. Resources provided for facilitators, students and volunteers are written by teachers, aligned to national learning standards and reviewed by industry experts. The first challenge will be posted January 2nd.

Agriculture Trivia

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October Trivia Answer: October's question asked what is the amount of funds the MDA can award through the Farm to School grants. The answer is up to $500,000 in matching funds.

December Trivia - This month's trivia question is: Name 2 types of Christmas trees grown in Minnesota.The first person to email the correct answer will win a MAGE (Minnesota Alliance for Geography Education) hat.

Email your answer to Keri Sidle to be eligible for the prize!