The Iowa Agriculture Literacy Foundation has awarded 185 grants to schools throughout Iowa to support the integration of agriculture into classroom instruction or after school programs with an academic focus.

The Agriculture in the Classroom Teacher Supplement Grants are designed to help teachers initiate new projects or expand existing projects that promote agriculture literacy in students. Grants can be used to fund innovative lessons, activities, classroom resources, guest speakers, outreach programs, field trips and other projects.

One grant recipient, Jenn Schnell, says, “I am so excited for my students!  As a farmer's daughter, a farm wife and one who is raising three boys on a farm, agriculture is very important to me. And I think it should be important to every child.”

Successful applicants will use ag experiences to teach language arts, social studies and a variety of other concepts already taught in their classrooms.

“This year’s grant projects will focus on integrating agriculture into social studies and language arts curriculums,” says Cindy Hall, IALF education program manager. “Projects will allow teachers to align to the newly adopted social studies standards here in Iowa.”

Teachers encouraged to apply for grants
The grants are a special project of IALF and made possible through support from the Iowa Farm Bureau Federation. “We are very pleased to be able to provide this support to classrooms,” says Barb Lykins, Iowa Farm Bureau director of community resources. “Ag literacy is an important aspect of the goal to build understanding of the value of Iowa agriculture.”

Trisca Mick, Newton school principal, says, “We are very appreciative to receive this grant and know the children will be absolutely thrilled at the opportunity it will provide them.”

The projects will be completed before the end of the school year, with final reports to be submitted by June 5. For more information, visit iowaagliteracy.org to find the complete list of award recipients.

Source: Iowa Ag Literacy Foundation