The Iowa Agriculture Literacy Foundation, along with several partnering organizations, will be offering two-day professional development workshops for teachers across the state throughout the entire summer. The workshops are designed to help teachers apply the newly adopted Next Generation Science Standards in the context of agriculture as well as teaching other core concepts and skills, such as social studies, language arts and math through agriculture. The hands-on, interactive sessions will begin June 1, and will include site visits, tours and practical classroom application. Many STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) concepts will be integrated throughout. Teacher recertification and graduate level credits will be awarded. For more information on the workshops, a complete listing of the dates, locations and sponsors can be found below.
June 1–2 Tabor
June 7-8 Creston
June 13-14 Ankeny
June 14-15 Newton
June 15-16 Sioux City
June 30-July 1 Oskaloosa
July 6-7 Ankeny
July 15-16 Moville
August 1-2 Spencer
Workshops are made possible by supporters of the Iowa Agriculture Literacy Foundation including CHS Foundation and the Iowa Energy Center with additional support from Iowa Corn Growers Association, Iowa Farm Bureau Federation, Iowa Pork Producers Association, Silos and Smokestacks National Heritage Area, DuPont Pioneer, GROWMARK, and the Iowa Beef Industry Council.
To find out more about workshops in your area visit www.IowaAgLiteracy.org, email info@iowaagliteracy.org or call 515-331-4182.
Date: June 1-2, 2016
Location: Fremont-Mills High School, Tabor, IA
Title: Agriculture helps meet Next Generation Science Standards
Description: This course will give teachers, extension personnel, and others who educate youth the skills they need to implement many of the new Iowa Core science standards. Using agriculture as the context to teach Next Generation Science Standards course participants will integrate agriculture into science, social studies, language arts and math to make learning real and relevant for students. During one day of the course participants will see conservation and energy applied as they tour beef feedlots, an ethanol plant, an algae plant, and a conservation area. Producers, scientists and other experts will showcase how agriculture uses science and management practices to ensure environmental and economic sustainability. The second day of the course will focus on implementing lessons learned and making them relevant to student learners.
Register to attend: https://prodev.aeapdonline.org/4DCGI/22033899991701INV&True*
Date: June 7-8, 2016
Location: SWCC Instructional Center, Creston, Iowa
Title: Agriculture and Technology take STEM & NGSS Beyond the Classroom
Description: Using agriculture themes is a great way to enhance student learning by making real-world connections to science, social studies, and STEM concepts. Participants will be introduced to FarmChat, a program that utilizes Skype or Google Hangouts to virtually tour farms and agribusinesses. During the on-site workshop, participants will work with Iowa State University Extension and Iowa Agriculture Literacy Staff to develop ideas for FarmChat programs and lessons that integrate agriculture into existing curricula. They will also visit a farm, learn about soil and water conservation, and take part in hands-on lessons that integrate agriculture into science, social studies, and language arts learning.
Register to attend: https://prodev.aeapdonline.org/4DCGI/22035099991701INV&True*
Date: June 13-14, 2016
Location: Polk Co. Farm Bureau, Ankeny, Iowa
Title: Agriculture and You: The Connections are Everywhere!
Description: What do salad dressing, chewed gum, and newspaper ink have in common? Soybeans! Join us as we learn how agriculture impacts our lives in many ways, every day. During our two-day workshop, talk to people around the world as we follow soybeans from farm to final product with Skype, tour multiple agriculture sites, participate in hands-on activities, and hear a variety of presenters to help gain an understanding of how agriculture connects to your everyday life. You will leave with grade-appropriate, Iowa Core aligned, hands-on activities to use in the classroom.
Register to attend: https://prodev.aeapdonline.org/4DCGI/ST002099991701INV&*
Date: June 14-15, 2015
Location: DMACC Campus, Newton, Iowa
Title: Building a Strong STEM Classroom Using Agriculture
Description: This professional development will give teachers the skills they need to implement STEM concepts (science, technology, engineering, and math) into their classroom. Participants will leave the workshop with instructional strategies, lessons, and activities that can be immediately implemented into their classroom with little or no additional effort. During one day of the course participants will see wind energy generation, a biorefinery, and applied precision agriculture. Tours will include a seed dealership and look at biotechnology, drones, GPS, and variable rate technologies. The second day of the course will focus on implementing lessons learned and making them relevant to student learners.
Register to attend: https://prodev.aeapdonline.org/4DCGI/22034399991701INV&True*
Date: June 15-16, 2016
Location: LaunchPad Children’s Museum, Sioux City, Iowa
Title: Advancing STEM Learning with the LaunchPAD Children’s Museum and Ag
Description: Teachers will use agriculture and the new LaunchPAD Children’s Museum in Sioux City to meet Iowa Core Standards – including NGSS. Participants will develop ideas to make the most of a visit to the museum and integrate agriculture into science, social studies, language arts and math lessons before and after a field trip. The museum boasts a large agriculture exhibit, but participants will also learn how to extend an agriculture theme in the construction, river, wind, market and café exhibits too. During one day of the course, participants will explore the museum and then see real-world examples of the museum exhibits in their community. They will visit a local family farm, hydroponic greenhouse, and a grocery store to learn more about the farm to fork story. The second day of the course will focus on developing strategies and identifying resources to best utilize the museum and agriculture to enhance science, social studies, math, and language arts learning. Most of the activities and lessons in the workshop are aligned to K-2 grade Iowa Core concepts.
Register to attend: https://prodev.aeapdonline.org/4DCGI/22034499991701INV&True*
Date: June 30-July 1, 2015
Location: Day 1: Still Waters Iowa, Oskaloosa, Iowa – Day 2: Iowa Bioprocessing Training Center, Eddyville, Iowa
Title: Applying Next Generation Science Standards through Agriculture
Description: Using agriculture as the context to teach Next Generation Science Standards course participants will integrate agriculture into science, social studies, language arts and math to make learning real and relevant for students. During one day of the course participants will see science applied as they tour a dairy farm, beef farm, and row crop farm. They will connect the farm to the fork with a tour of a grocery store, cheese factory, and winery. Producers, scientists and other experts will showcase how agriculture uses science and management practices to ensure environmental and economic sustainability. The second day of the course will focus on implementing lessons learned and making them relevant to student learners. The second day will include a focus on biotechnology and bioprocessing as well as study of water quality.
Register to attend: https://prodev.aeapdonline.org/4DCGI/22033299991701INV&True*
Date: July 6-7, 2016
Location: Polk Co. Farm Bureau, Ankeny, Iowa
Title: Agriculture and You: The Connections are Everywhere!
Description: Toothpaste, carpet, glue, crayons, gum. Did you know all these items are made possible through agriculture? Join us as we learn how agriculture impacts our lives in many ways, every day. During our two-day workshop, interact with farmers around the state through Skype, tour multiple agriculture sites, participate in hands-on activities, and hear a variety of presenters to help gain an understanding of how agriculture connects to your everyday life. You will leave with grade-appropriate, Iowa Core aligned, hands-on activities to use in the classroom.
Register to attend: https://prodev.aeapdonline.org/4DCGI/ST002199991701INV&*
Date: July 15-16, 2016
Location: Moville Community Center, Moville, Iowa
Title: Agriculture to Teach NGSS in an Engaging Way
Description: Using agriculture as the context to teach Next Generation Science Standards, course participants will integrate agriculture into lessons to make learning real and relevant for students. During one day of the course participants will see new technologies applied as they tour an equipment dealership, and a livestock genetics service provider. Producers, scientists and other experts will showcase how agriculture uses science and management practices to ensure environmental and economic sustainability. The second day of the course will focus on developing lessons that use advancements in agriculture as the context to teach science.
Register to attend: https://prodev.aeapdonline.org/4DCGI/22035199991701INV&True*
Date: August 1-2, 2016
Location: Clay Co. Fairgrounds, Spencer, Iowa
Title: Energy and Agriculture applied to Next Generation Science Standards
Description: Participants will leave the workshop with instructional strategies, lessons, and activities that can be immediately implemented into their classroom with little or no additional effort. Student engagement and impact will be high with hands-on learning. During one day of the course participants will see renewable energy in multiple forms including wind energy, biofuels, and solar. Producers, scientists and other experts will showcase how agriculture uses science and management practices to ensure environmental and economic sustainability through energy conservation and precision agriculture. The second day of the course will focus on implementing lessons learned and making them relevant to student learners.
Register to attend: https://prodev.aeapdonline.org/4DCGI/22033699991701INV&True*
