*make sure to click "View entire message" to get access to the full newsletter!* |
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It's Grant Writing Time!!! |
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Have you been wanting to take a field trip to a farm with your class?
Do you need materials to do agriculture projects in your classroom?
Are you trying to build a school garden or repair your school greenhouse?
Do you need funds to help with any of these agriculture related projects?
LOOK NO FURTHER! Maine Agriculture in the Classroom has grants available!
You can apply for grants in the following categories:
- Agriculture Awareness - Up to $1,000
- Agriculture Awareness - Up to $2,000
- School Garden & Greenhouse - Up to $,2000
- Agriculture Leadership - Up to $1,000
- Statewide Organization - Up to $,2000
- Maine High School Career Technical Education Culinary Arts - Up to $2,000 (Deadline Oct 1)
Visit our website to download the applications and check out the archives of previously funded projects.
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Applications (4 signed paper copies!) need to be MAILED to 28 State House Station, Augusta, ME 04333 and received by August 22nd!
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2023 Teacher of the Year Applications OPEN |
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NOW ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS!!
Each year at the annual meeting, MAITC recognizes an outstanding Maine elementary or secondary school teacher who uses agricultural education materials and/or activities in the classroom to teach core subjects.
The winning teacher is then required to submit—with our help—an application for a National AITC Excellence in Teaching about Agriculture Award and attends the National AITC Conference. Applications are due October 3, 2022 .
The application (and more info) can be found on our website.
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Our Annual Meeting will be held Thursday, October 27th at 5:30pm at the Maine State Grange in Augusta. RSVP to maitc@maine.gov
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IPM Investigations Program |
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During school years 2020-21, 2021-22, and now 2022-23 retired educator, Bernie Welch, has shared his passion for low impact pest control and awareness about good bugs in school gardens and the environment in general. Students from grades K-12 are treated to an in-depth look at the insects and habitat right on their school grounds. Each participating school receives a kit full of tools to use plus access to a tremendous network of resources.
This program encourages students to explore and observe garden insects. Students use simple capture and identify devices, sketch insects in journals and attempt to identify them using provided insect garden keys. Students discuss findings and gain understanding in how such data can be useful for the school garden. More importantly students take these new skills home to use in their own garden! Although there is a focus on scientific method, garden record keeping and gaining insect habitat knowledge, there are plenty of healthy garden conversations that ensue along the way with healthy food and local food conversations an important part of the mix.
MAITC is now accepting registrations for up to 10 K-12 schools for fall 2022 and spring 2023. Both of the previous sessions have been full and we encourage schools to register early because capacity is limited by filling out this google form.
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Maine Farm and Sea to School |
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We're excited to be presenting at the three day Academy program held at The Ecology School in Saco, ME which will kick-off the institute this year. Attending the institute will be teams from RSU 22 (Hampden, Newburgh, Winterport, & Frankfort); RSU 89 (Katahdin Schools); MSAD 17 (Oxford Hills); North Haven Community School (K-12); and FoodCorps Maine Service Members.
Maine Ag in the Classroom will be presenting sessions, along with so many other great organizations in our state working to promote Farm to School: The Maine Dairy & Nutrition Council; Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation, and Forestry; ReTreeUs; Maine School Garden Network; UMaine Cooperative Extension; Sea to School Gulf of Maine Research Institute; Department of Education Child Nutrition Services; and FoodCorps Maine.
Learning Opportunity: Racial Equity in Farm to School: Five-Part Series
The Farm to School Coalition of North Carolina and the Center for Environmental Farming's Farm to School Initiative are hosting a free five-session training series on Racial Equity in Farm to School. These free, 120 min workshops will be led by a team from we are. Register for one or all of them: they build on prior workshops while remaining accessible for new participants.
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July 19, 2022, 3 - 5 pm ET (Implicit Bias)
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August 30, 2022, 3 - 5 pm ET (Language Analysis & Speak Up)
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September 20, 2022, 3 - 5 pm ET (History and Policy)
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October 25, 2022, 3 - 5 pm ET (Curriculum and School Meals)
- November 8, 2022, 3 - 5 pm ET (Community Praxis Sharing in Farm to School)
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Looking for a classroom pet? How about adopting a COW?!
The Discover Dairy “Adopt a Cow” program is an exciting, year-long experience for your classroom. Throughout the program, you’ll get an inside look at dairy farming and be paired with a calf from a dairy farm in the United States. You’ll find out what her name is, when her birthday is, where she lives, and how the farmer takes care of her. You’ll also receive progress updates, photos of the cow, live chats from the farm, activity sheets for your students, suggested lessons that follow Common CORE standards, and even opportunities to write letters to your calf! And the best part?
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MSGN Summer Garden Tours & School Garden Grown |
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This summer, Maine School Garden Network will be supporting school garden tours across the state. This idea stemmed in the School Garden Exchange google group (join here if you're not already in the group!) in hopes it becomes a Maine school garden tradition! Join in for a casual gathering with peers, see different gardening styles and come together for a potluck meal! Upcoming tours:
- August 12th: Rowe Elementary School, Portland, ME
Please email Rachel at rachel@msgn.org if you want more info, plan on attending, or would like to host a gathering at your site in the future!
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Fair season is here! We are excited to display School Garden Grown produce in exhibit halls across the state! We are looking for representation from as many Maine school gardens as possible in the exhibit halls! Not only can this be a great opportunity to show all the work being done with your students across Maine, participating at your local fair can give your students a sense of pride to be a part of the Maine agricultural community and a chance to win cash prizes!
MSGN Program Organizer, Rachel Solomon, can offer you support as you navigate the process by providing information from your county’s fair book on rules for entering and when to submit entry forms. Click here for more information on the process. Please reach out to Rachel as soon as possible at rachel@msgn.org if you plan to participate or have any questions. We can’t wait to see you at the fair!
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Harvest of the Month - August is Maine Cucumbers! |
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Click here for the great Harvest of the Month (HOM) materials - posters, fact sheets, recipes, social media promo, and more!
All of our HOM Resource Pages can be found on our Teach ME site under "Teaching Units"
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UMaine Cooperative Extension’s Building Agricultural Literacy Through an Immersive Culinary Experience Grant Update
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Attention High School CTE Culinary Arts Instructors:
MAITC and UMaine Cooperative Extension are offering mini-grant funds of up to $2,000 for agricultural literacy education programs at Maine High School Career Technical Education Culinary Arts Programs. The deadline for e-mail submission is 5:00 PM on October 1, 2022.
The application is simple: Provide a short description of your proposed project, estimated budget, timeline and how it will impact agricultural literacy education and/or promote the use of local foods in your Culinary Arts Program.
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Teacher Resources Section |
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My Farm Web. Grades K-2. Students use the visual representation of a web to explore the role of agriculture in their daily lives and understand how most of the necessities of life can be traced back to the farm.
Cultures, Food, and Communities Around the World. Grades K-2. Students explore different cultures around the world and their unique traditions centered around food and its preparations. Students discover how food gets from the farm to the grocery store.
By Land, Air, or Sea. Grades 3-5. Students discover how agricultural commodities are transported from producers to consumers.
Food Miles. Grades 3-5. Students explore the economic and environmental benefits of buying locally grown food.
Culinary Concepts. Grades 6-8. Through project-based learning, students will develop and manufacture a unique and nutritious food product that includes ingredients that have been sourced locally and can be served in retail outlets or the school cafeteria.
Going the Distance. Grades 9-12. Students calculate the miles common food items travel from the farm to their plates and discuss the environmental, social, and economic pros and cons of eating local vs relying on a global marketplace for our food.
Looking for more? Explore the Agricultural Literacy Curriculum Matrix HERE
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Mapping Meals Activity. A 20-minute activity to illustrate to students that many of our foods come from around the world. Activity can be added to any lesson on food, food sources, nutrition, etc.
National Agriculture in the Classroom Teacher Center. Check out the "Themes for Learning" for grades K-5, "Course Topics" for grades 7-12, 360 Agriculture (virtual farms, labs, and more), the AgClassroomStore, professional development, student centered tools for teaching, and SO MUCH MORE!
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More funding opportunities are listed from some of our friends:
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ReTreeUS plants orchards in schools and provides educational programs that empower people to be healthy environmental stewards.
Fuel Up to Play 60 offers educators a wide array of resources they can use to help students make sustainable changes in their school environment.
Agroworld is an agricultural science e-zine developed for the secondary educator.
KidsGardening has ideas about plants and gardens, teacher resources, and grant opportunities.
The Chop Chop magazine and website has easy and healthy recipes.
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This document is a compilation of agriculture related resources to be used in virtual and remote learning.
Pictures, videos, and words are hyperlinked throughout the document.
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Funding from this plate has impacted up to 200,000 students annually with lessons, materials, volunteers and teacher training. Annually up to $60K is distributed in grants to schools, FFA, 4-H and other Non-profit programs for Ag education initiatives by the Maine Agriculture in the Classroom Council.
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Donate today to The Maine Agriculture in the Classroom Association
The Non-profit, completely volunteer, portion of MAITC. These funds are used directly to support teacher scholarships and recognition, and support volunteer participation for Ag education programs. Your donation is completely tax deductible and you can make a one-time donation or a recurring monthly donation which will support the mission, "to promote the understanding of agriculture and natural resources among students, educators, and the general public." If you have any other questions or would like to join this group please contact the chairman, Maryjane Stafford. Donate Here.
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Our Mission Statement
"To promote the understanding of agriculture and natural resources among students, educators, and the general public"
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28 State House Station
Augusta, ME 04333
(207)287-5522
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