February 2006
New Fact and Activity Sheet Features Cotton
A brand new Fact/Activity Sheet has been added to the stack! Now, CFAITC offers a bundle that is 26 strong. These one-page resource favorites provide facts about a specific agricultural commodity or natural resource; the flip side of the sheet gives ideas for classroom activities and discussions. The new cotton sheet features the many uses of the plant, history and innovation of the industry, and fun facts. The facts and figures on all fact sheets are updated annually.
Download the new cotton sheet, or the whole set, from www.cfaitc.org/Commodity/Commodity.php
Outstanding Educator of the Year 2006
California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom is pleased to announce the 2006 Outstanding Educator of the Year: Lawrence Omeje. Mr. Omeje teaches at Yokomi Elementary in Fresno County. Don't miss his presentations at the National AITC Conference this summer in Atlantic City and at the California AITC Conference in October in Burbank.
The following teachers also received recognition for their efforts in increasing awareness and understanding of agriculture among California's students. Congratulations educators!
What's Growin' On?
Have you requested your free set of student newspapers?
California Agriculture... More Than You Can Imagine! is the new fourth edition and is available in class sets up to fifty. Request online at www.cfaitc.org. For larger quantities contact Pam Emery.
National Ag Week is March 19-25, 2006
A lot of work goes into getting our food from field to table. Take some time this week (specifically National Ag Day, March 20) to reflect on how fortunate we are to have such a productive and efficient agricultural system.
Celebrate with these ideas and others in your community:
California Agriculture Day and "Art in Agriculture" Student Art Contest
Contest Deadline: Mar. 15, 2006
Event Date: Mar. 29, 2006
California Agriculture Day at the State Capitol will feature free agricultural products and information, display of winning entries from the art contest cosponsored by CFAITC, school garden display, livestock & farm equipment, and more!
Visit www.cdfa.ca.gov for contest details and entry form.
California Curriculum Guidelines for Ag Literacy Awareness (CCGALA)
Are you interested in bringing a hands-on in-service focusing on agriculture to your school? The CCGALA workshop will be presented by a trained educator and will provide teachers with information on lesson plans that meet state standards while also teaching students about agriculture. Contact Nancy Gutierrez at 800/700-AITC to schedule an on-site in-service by June 1.
3rd Grade Cabbage Growing Program
Deadline: Request plants ASAP
Class sets of cabbage plants are available from Bonnie Plant Farm for your students to carry home and grow. These Over Size Cross cabbages may grow to more than 40 pounds and bigger than a basketball. The student who grows the largest cabbage in their class will be entered in a statewide drawing for a $1,000 scholarship. One teacher from all who request cabbages will be awarded a scholarship to the 2006 California AITC Conference. Class winner's form and picture must be received by September 1, 2006.
For more information visit www.bonnieplants.com; to request your plants e-mail bonnieplants@yahoo.com or call Tim Marchiando at 877/919-3384.
Life Lab Workshops and Conference
Tomato Time: A Year's Worth of Activities for Second Graders
Mar. 25, 2006 UC Davis Plant Science Bowley Teaching Center
This workshop will show you how to use garden-based learning to teach nutrition and support standards in math, language arts, science and history-social science, while exploring one of our region's most important crops. The Tomato Time activities are correlated to 2nd grade standards, and can be adapted for other grade levels.
For more information, contact Jeri Ohmart at 530/752-7655.
Ag in the Bag II--Good Food, Good Exercise, Good Living
Mar. 4, 2006, San Gabriel, CA
This free teacher in-service features six sessions about nutrition, healthy lifestyle choices, and the California Curriculum Guidelines for Agriculture Literacy Awareness. One CEU is available through ACSI.
Reserve your place by contacting Clarence Atwater at 626/287-0486 by Feb. 22, 2006. The first thirty to make reservations and attend will receive a tote bag full of resources from CFAITC.
AgroWorld Newsletter
This bimonthly e-zine has been developed for the secondary educator and their students. Each issue features current events, classroom resources, activities, and grant opportunities that enhance standards based on science, applied technology, and social studies curricula.
View the current issue at www.agclassroom.org/teen/agro/ezine.htm
To subscribe, visit www.agclassroom.org/teen/agro/subscribe.cfm
USDA Living Science Career Posters
From agricultural economist to wood scientist, this Web site describes a multitude of possible careers in the food, agricultural, and natural resource areas. Visit www.agriculture.purdue.edu/USDA/careers to read the descriptions; call the Higher Education Program of USDA at 202/720-1973 to request mini-posters (5 1/2" x 8 1/2", gummed pads) of the Living Science career series.
California Association of Nurseries and Garden Centers
Nursery Industry Fund for Innovation and Excellence
Proposal Deadline: May 12, 2005
Funding requests of any amount will be considered, though available funds will generally limit individual grants to no more than $20,000. Project topics include classroom materials to integrate horticulture, professional development programs for teachers or nursery industry employees, recruitment materials for students to study horticulture at high school or college level, outreach materials to education consumers about horticultural services and products, and materials or programs that inform about the economic, social, and environmental benefits of the green industry.
For more information, contact Dr. Mark Shelton at mshelton@calpoly.edu
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