Just because it\u2019s summer doesn\u2019t mean the learning has stopped. Not only have we been busy teaching all about agriculture, but we\u2019ve been busy learning too! Between school programs, conferences, teacher programs, and summer workshops we\u2019ve had the chance to meet a lot of people across Iowa and even the United States! <\/p>\n
The Iowa Agriculture Literacy Foundation (IALF) participates in a variety of events throughout the year from field days to ag safety days and everything in-between. This spring and summer are no different and we have been busy teaching students about all types of agriculture. <\/p>\n
Linn County Ag in the Park<\/h3>\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/iowaagliteracy.wordpress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/linn-county-1.jpg\")
Students at Linn County Ag in the Park making seed germination necklaces. <\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\nWe kicked off our spring programs at Linn County Ag in the Park<\/strong>. Students created seed germination necklaces<\/a> with water beads and corn and soybean seed inside of them. The water from the water beads and heat from your body as you wear the necklace allow the seeds to germinate. The clear bag allows students to watch the difference between corn and soybeans as they germinate. This was my first event with IALF. It was a long and fast paced day, but it was a lot of fun. We were able to see more than 600 students and teach them about seed germination.<\/p>\nClay County Stem Bash<\/h3>\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/iowaagliteracy.wordpress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/img_7983.jpg?w=1024\")
<\/a>Students jump rope as a part of the relay race in the activity Sun, to Moo, to You. <\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\nThe Clay County Stem Bash is an event held by Iowa State University Extension and Outreach and 4-H Youth Development at the Clay County Fairgrounds. The STEM Bash hosted more than 200 4th<\/sup> graders and a variety of booths where students learned about what energy is, where energy comes from and how to conserve energy. The day was focused on providing hands-on activities that aligned with the Next Generation Science Standards for 4th<\/sup> grade. During IALF\u2019s activity at the Clay County Stem Bash<\/strong> students learned about energy systems and how energy moves through food webs. They modeled transfer of energy by passing a beachball around in a circle and by bouncing the ball to each other. Using their newfound knowledge, students participated in a relay race where they were challenged to put an energy system in order as a part of the activity Sun, to Moo, to You<\/a>. My favorite part of this event was having conversations with students about how energy systems aren\u2019t always a straight line, but a web where energy is transferred back and forth between objects.<\/p>\nNevada Public Library Teen Club<\/h3>\n
In Nevada, we visited their teen club after school program<\/strong> at the public library and did an activity about grapes and jelly. Students were challenged to taste four different grape juices, choose their favorites, and engineer a grape jelly<\/a>. The portion of the activity where students created a recipe for their jelly challenged them to discuss their opinions in a group setting and add fractions to create one cup of juice in total. This was my first time going to an event with upper middle and high school students. This was a great experience for me to have as I am hoping to become a high school agriculture teacher after graduation.<\/p>\nIowa Children\u2019s Water Festival<\/h3>\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/iowaagliteracy.wordpress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/cover-crop-monster-growing-1.jpg?w=768\")
<\/a>Cover crop monster<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\nThe Iowa Children\u2019s Water Festival is an event that more than 2,000 5th<\/sup> grade students participate in annually. The students play games, visit exhibits, participate in hands-on activities, and more to learn about the importance of water in their daily lives. This was the first event that our newest team member, Alex, was able to attend. We also partnered with Gretchen Volga from\u00a0Central Iowa Agriculture in the Classroom<\/a>. During the festival, students learned about water, how it is used in agriculture, and why it is so important to conserve water through Journey 2050<\/a> programming. Students also created their own cover crop monsters<\/a> to demonstrate one way to conserve water. Although it wasn\u2019t a planned part of the lesson, it was fun to be able to watch the students decorate their monsters and give them all their own unique personality!<\/p>\nGrant Ragan Elementary School Field Day<\/h3>\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/iowaagliteracy.wordpress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/grant-regan-1.jpeg?w=768\")
<\/a>Students explaining the similarities between the pictures of a cow, bull and calf.<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\nOur most recent student program this spring was the Grant Ragan Elementary School Field Day<\/strong>. For this program, IALF partnered with Dallas County AITC<\/a> coordinator, Jamie Champion. Students learned about different cattle breeds and how genetics influence both looks and behavior. After learning about genetics, the students were challenged to correctly group themselves into breeds based on pictures of bulls, cows, and calves. This was a new activity we tried at this event. With it being an outdoor field day, we had the opportunity to set up a mock pasture where students pretended to be a herd of cattle by mooing, exploring, and some even wandered by the fence line to see if they could escape. When I asked them why they were trying to escape they told me it\u2019s because their grandparents\u2019 cows always try and find ways to get out and they were acting like the cows they\u2019ve seen.<\/p>\nIn addition to educating students on agriculture through hands-on activities and interactive lessons, we also provide those resources to educators across the state. Some of the ways we interact with educators is through conferences and teacher programs. <\/p>\n
University of Northern Iowa (UNI) Science Education Update Conference<\/h3>\n
Attending the University of Northern Iowa (UNI) Science Education Update Conference<\/strong> allowed us to share our various resources with current science educators and future educators who are currently in teacher programs. We hosted a session about the science and STEM of Iowa\u2019s grape industry where educators learned about what makes Iowa\u2019s grapes special using the lessons Grapes Here and There<\/a>. It was great to be able to connect with other future educators and possibly future colleagues.<\/p>\nWaukee Plant the Seed Day<\/h3>\n
At the Waukee Plant the Seed Day<\/strong> teacher event, we shared our resources with educators in the Waukee Community School District. We connected with teachers from all grade levels and shared how our resources connect to Iowa Core Standards. This was also a great opportunity for me to be able to talk to Cindy Snell, the 2023 Iowa Excellence in Teaching About Agriculture Award<\/a>. As an aspiring future agriculture educator, I was able to talk to her about her experiences in the classroom.<\/p>\nNebraska Agriculture in the Classroom: Making the Connection Agriculture Literacy Conference<\/h3>\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/iowaagliteracy.wordpress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/img_8223.jpg?w=1024\")
<\/a>Cathryn Carney presenting about agriculture safety.<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\nIALF was invited to attend this conference where farmers, educators, and professionals came together to exchange tools about how to help students and consumers understand how agriculture impacts their daily lives. At the conference, Cathryn hosted a breakout session about agriculture safety days. Although only two percent of the nation is currently involved in production agriculture, many people may encounter agriculture more than they think. Whether it\u2019s visiting a fair and seeing animals or sharing a road with farm equipment, it is vital that people know how to act safely. The session took a closer look at our How-To Guide for Ag Safety Days<\/a> and gave participants the resources to plan a successful agriculture safety day.<\/p>\nIowa Reading Association and Association of Iowa School Librarians Literacy Conference<\/h3>\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/iowaagliteracy.wordpress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/image.png?w=497\")
<\/a>Participants exploring a timeline of Iowa\u2019s agriculture in issue 4 of our Iowa Ag Today.<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\nThis summer, we attended the Iowa Reading Association and Association of Iowa School Librarians Literacy Conference<\/strong> and had the opportunity to connect with teachers, librarians, university professors, district coordinators, Area Education Agency (AEA) curriculum consultants, and other exhibitors from throughout Iowa. IALF attended to share our resources as an exhibitor as well as lead a session about our Iowa Ag Today<\/a> student readers. The activity introduced educators to our Iowa Ag Today<\/em> readers as they engaged in an activity that accompanied them. <\/p>\nNew Agriculture in the Classroom Coordinator Workshop<\/h3>\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/iowaagliteracy.wordpress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/img_8037.jpg?w=1024\")
<\/a>New AITC Coordinators rotating through station of various activities they can do with students. <\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\nOur conferences and teacher programs aren\u2019t for just educators who are in the classroom daily. This spring we had our first New Agriculture in the Classroom Coordinator Workshop<\/strong>. Agriculture in the Classroom is a program that allows educators to visit classrooms with fun and engaging activities to educate students about agriculture. The classroom visits range from teaching about agriculture safety to hands-on activities like hatching chicks and everything in-between. This workshop was for new coordinators across the state to provide them with the resources they need to run successful programs and create strong connections between students and agriculture. During this workshop, Ag in the Classroom Coordinators set program goals, practiced data collection, engaged in agriculture activities, and networked with other coordinators from across the state. Each Agriculture in the Classroom Program is tailored to fit that area\u2019s needs, and this workshop provided the new coordinators with a variety of resources to build the best possible program for their area.<\/p>\nNational Agriculture in the Classroom Conference<\/h3>\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/iowaagliteracy.wordpress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/image-1.png?w=638\")
<\/a>Iowa attendees at the National Agriculture in the Classroom conference in Orlando, Fla.<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/iowaagliteracy.wordpress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/image-2.png?w=975\")
<\/a>IALF team members having fun in the photo booth at the National Agriculture in the Classroom Conference<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\nWe have also been busy learning this summer! Some of our team members traveled to Orlando, Fla., for the National Agriculture in the Classroom Conference<\/strong>. In total there were 14 attendees from Iowa including Agriculture in the Classroom Educators, teachers, Iowa State University Extension representatives and IALF staff members. At this conference they experienced Florida\u2019s agriculture, explored new resources and activities, and networked with agriculture educators from across the country.\u00a0 Cindy Snell, the recipient of the Iowa Excellence in Teaching About Agriculture Award was also recognized at an awards luncheon at the conference.<\/p>\n
We kicked off our spring programs at Linn County Ag in the Park<\/strong>. Students created seed germination necklaces<\/a> with water beads and corn and soybean seed inside of them. The water from the water beads and heat from your body as you wear the necklace allow the seeds to germinate. The clear bag allows students to watch the difference between corn and soybeans as they germinate. This was my first event with IALF. It was a long and fast paced day, but it was a lot of fun. We were able to see more than 600 students and teach them about seed germination.<\/p>\n The Clay County Stem Bash is an event held by Iowa State University Extension and Outreach and 4-H Youth Development at the Clay County Fairgrounds. The STEM Bash hosted more than 200 4th<\/sup> graders and a variety of booths where students learned about what energy is, where energy comes from and how to conserve energy. The day was focused on providing hands-on activities that aligned with the Next Generation Science Standards for 4th<\/sup> grade. During IALF\u2019s activity at the Clay County Stem Bash<\/strong> students learned about energy systems and how energy moves through food webs. They modeled transfer of energy by passing a beachball around in a circle and by bouncing the ball to each other. Using their newfound knowledge, students participated in a relay race where they were challenged to put an energy system in order as a part of the activity Sun, to Moo, to You<\/a>. My favorite part of this event was having conversations with students about how energy systems aren\u2019t always a straight line, but a web where energy is transferred back and forth between objects.<\/p>\n In Nevada, we visited their teen club after school program<\/strong> at the public library and did an activity about grapes and jelly. Students were challenged to taste four different grape juices, choose their favorites, and engineer a grape jelly<\/a>. The portion of the activity where students created a recipe for their jelly challenged them to discuss their opinions in a group setting and add fractions to create one cup of juice in total. This was my first time going to an event with upper middle and high school students. This was a great experience for me to have as I am hoping to become a high school agriculture teacher after graduation.<\/p>\n The Iowa Children\u2019s Water Festival is an event that more than 2,000 5th<\/sup> grade students participate in annually. The students play games, visit exhibits, participate in hands-on activities, and more to learn about the importance of water in their daily lives. This was the first event that our newest team member, Alex, was able to attend. We also partnered with Gretchen Volga from\u00a0Central Iowa Agriculture in the Classroom<\/a>. During the festival, students learned about water, how it is used in agriculture, and why it is so important to conserve water through Journey 2050<\/a> programming. Students also created their own cover crop monsters<\/a> to demonstrate one way to conserve water. Although it wasn\u2019t a planned part of the lesson, it was fun to be able to watch the students decorate their monsters and give them all their own unique personality!<\/p>\n Our most recent student program this spring was the Grant Ragan Elementary School Field Day<\/strong>. For this program, IALF partnered with Dallas County AITC<\/a> coordinator, Jamie Champion. Students learned about different cattle breeds and how genetics influence both looks and behavior. After learning about genetics, the students were challenged to correctly group themselves into breeds based on pictures of bulls, cows, and calves. This was a new activity we tried at this event. With it being an outdoor field day, we had the opportunity to set up a mock pasture where students pretended to be a herd of cattle by mooing, exploring, and some even wandered by the fence line to see if they could escape. When I asked them why they were trying to escape they told me it\u2019s because their grandparents\u2019 cows always try and find ways to get out and they were acting like the cows they\u2019ve seen.<\/p>\n In addition to educating students on agriculture through hands-on activities and interactive lessons, we also provide those resources to educators across the state. Some of the ways we interact with educators is through conferences and teacher programs. <\/p>\n Attending the University of Northern Iowa (UNI) Science Education Update Conference<\/strong> allowed us to share our various resources with current science educators and future educators who are currently in teacher programs. We hosted a session about the science and STEM of Iowa\u2019s grape industry where educators learned about what makes Iowa\u2019s grapes special using the lessons Grapes Here and There<\/a>. It was great to be able to connect with other future educators and possibly future colleagues.<\/p>\n At the Waukee Plant the Seed Day<\/strong> teacher event, we shared our resources with educators in the Waukee Community School District. We connected with teachers from all grade levels and shared how our resources connect to Iowa Core Standards. This was also a great opportunity for me to be able to talk to Cindy Snell, the 2023 Iowa Excellence in Teaching About Agriculture Award<\/a>. As an aspiring future agriculture educator, I was able to talk to her about her experiences in the classroom.<\/p>\n IALF was invited to attend this conference where farmers, educators, and professionals came together to exchange tools about how to help students and consumers understand how agriculture impacts their daily lives. At the conference, Cathryn hosted a breakout session about agriculture safety days. Although only two percent of the nation is currently involved in production agriculture, many people may encounter agriculture more than they think. Whether it\u2019s visiting a fair and seeing animals or sharing a road with farm equipment, it is vital that people know how to act safely. The session took a closer look at our How-To Guide for Ag Safety Days<\/a> and gave participants the resources to plan a successful agriculture safety day.<\/p>\n This summer, we attended the Iowa Reading Association and Association of Iowa School Librarians Literacy Conference<\/strong> and had the opportunity to connect with teachers, librarians, university professors, district coordinators, Area Education Agency (AEA) curriculum consultants, and other exhibitors from throughout Iowa. IALF attended to share our resources as an exhibitor as well as lead a session about our Iowa Ag Today<\/a> student readers. The activity introduced educators to our Iowa Ag Today<\/em> readers as they engaged in an activity that accompanied them. <\/p>\n Our conferences and teacher programs aren\u2019t for just educators who are in the classroom daily. This spring we had our first New Agriculture in the Classroom Coordinator Workshop<\/strong>. Agriculture in the Classroom is a program that allows educators to visit classrooms with fun and engaging activities to educate students about agriculture. The classroom visits range from teaching about agriculture safety to hands-on activities like hatching chicks and everything in-between. This workshop was for new coordinators across the state to provide them with the resources they need to run successful programs and create strong connections between students and agriculture. During this workshop, Ag in the Classroom Coordinators set program goals, practiced data collection, engaged in agriculture activities, and networked with other coordinators from across the state. Each Agriculture in the Classroom Program is tailored to fit that area\u2019s needs, and this workshop provided the new coordinators with a variety of resources to build the best possible program for their area.<\/p>\n We have also been busy learning this summer! Some of our team members traveled to Orlando, Fla., for the National Agriculture in the Classroom Conference<\/strong>. In total there were 14 attendees from Iowa including Agriculture in the Classroom Educators, teachers, Iowa State University Extension representatives and IALF staff members. At this conference they experienced Florida\u2019s agriculture, explored new resources and activities, and networked with agriculture educators from across the country.\u00a0 Cindy Snell, the recipient of the Iowa Excellence in Teaching About Agriculture Award was also recognized at an awards luncheon at the conference.<\/p>\nClay County Stem Bash<\/h3>\n
<\/a>Nevada Public Library Teen Club<\/h3>\n
Iowa Children\u2019s Water Festival<\/h3>\n
<\/a>Grant Ragan Elementary School Field Day<\/h3>\n
<\/a>University of Northern Iowa (UNI) Science Education Update Conference<\/h3>\n
Waukee Plant the Seed Day<\/h3>\n
Nebraska Agriculture in the Classroom: Making the Connection Agriculture Literacy Conference<\/h3>\n
<\/a>Iowa Reading Association and Association of Iowa School Librarians Literacy Conference<\/h3>\n
<\/a>New Agriculture in the Classroom Coordinator Workshop<\/h3>\n
<\/a>National Agriculture in the Classroom Conference<\/h3>\n
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