New York Agriculture in the Classroom | January 2019
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Important Dates:

Jan. 7- North Country Jr. Iron Chef Registration Opens

Jan. 16 - Grow with Us Grant due

Feb. 14 - Schoolyard Sugaring Classroom Registration Due

March 1- NYFB Scholarship Due

March18-22- Agricultural Literacy Week

May 21-23- On the Farm Event in Syracuse, NY 

June 18-21- National Agriculture in the Classroom Conference in Little Rock, Arkansas

News
Schoolyard Sugaring Registration is Now Open!
From tree to bottle help your students experience the scientific phenomena of making maple syrup. 

There is no cost to register for the contest, and all registered teachers will receive a book, lessons, and an empty pint jug along with the opportunity to pair with a. maple producer from your region to help guide your process. From ELA, to science, math, and social studies - your students will meet all of their educational goals in this project-based learning experience. 

All K-12 classrooms are open to participate and can earn up to $250 in prize money! Register your classroom by February 14, 2019

This contest is made possible through a partnership with the NYS Maple Foundation

New York Agriculture in the Classroom 2019 Teachers of the Year Announced!
Each year, New York Agriculture in the Classroom recognizes exceptional teachers who incorporate learning through a lens of agriculture into their curriculums. 

We are pleased to announce three model educators as our 2019 teachers of the year: Stephanie Locke in the elementary division, Jeanne Marie Quarto in the high school division, and Cheryl Starace in the English for Speakers of Other Languages division. 

For their excellence in teaching about and utilizing agriculture in their classroom, Stephanie, Jeanne, and Cheryl will have the opportunity to attend the National Agriculture in the Classroom Conference in Little Rock, Arkansas in June, with expenses paid, receive a free Food, Land and People training for themselves and their colleagues, and an at-school recognition of the teachers and their accomplishments.

Learn more about these exceptional educators and the Teacher of the Year program on our website
DEADLINE EXTENDED: Grow With Us Grant
Even though the holiday season is over, we are giving the gift of additional time to submit an application for the 2019 Grow with Us Grant.  You can earn a grow system to extend the school gardening season. 

All applications are due Wednesday, January 16, 2019. Complete the application available on our website
On the Farm Event Applications Now Open!
On the Farm events are free professional development experiences designed for those who work in STEM and have a limited background in agriculture.  Selected participants will receive free registration, reimbursement of up to $650 for approved travel expenses, hotel accommodations for three nights and meals, in addition to educational supplies and resources. 

The event will take place in  Syracuse, New York from May 21-23, 2019.  Learn more about the experience and apply here

Serve Up Change with FoodCorps
Do you want to serve your community by growing healthier kids, healthier schools, and a more just world? FoodCorps is looking for people like you! As a FoodCorps service member, you can help kids learn what healthy food is, fall in love with it, and eat it every day.FoodCorps recruits talented leaders for a year of full time paid public service building healthy school food environments in limited-resource communities. 
Applications are open January 11th- March 15th to become a FoodCorps service member. 

Purple Plow Pollination Challenge
The Spring 2019 Purple Plow Challenge is " What can we do to sustain or improve pollinator well-being?"  Through this challenge, students will become more aware of the important role pollinators play in our daily lives and how to help protect the various populations. This challenge is for students in grades 5-12 and ends May 1, 2019. Find out more on accept the challenge on their website
President's Environmental Youth Award
The President's Environmental Youth Award (PEYA) recognizes outstanding environmental projects by K-12 youth. Each year the PEYA program honors a wide variety of projects developed by young individuals, school classes (kindergarten through high school), summer camps, public interest groups, and youth organizations to promote environmental awareness. Projects can range from planting trees to creating videos about environmental issues, and more. For more information and to apply by February 1, 2019, visit epa.gov
NY Farm Bureau 2019 Agricultural Youth Scholarship
Graduating high school seniors who plan on continuing their education to prepare for a career connected to agriculture are eligible to apply for the New York Farm Bureau 2019 Agricultural Youth Scholarship. Three scholarships in the amounts of $1,500, $1,200, and $1,000 will be awarded. Applications are due via email or postmarked by  March 1, 2019

Discounted Hatching Supplies
Interested in starting an egg hatching unit or need to update your supplies? Eggcartons.com is having a warehouse clear out sale where they will be  removing the minimum quantity order requirements and imposing a $20 minimum order value requirement instead. Please call (508)476-0038 Monday-Friday 8:30AM-5PM EST if you'd like to order. The sale will last until supplies run out!

Agricultural Literacy Grant Spotlight
Jeremiah Best- Town of Webb Central School District
"School Garden"

The Town of Webb school district is doing great things for agricultural education on a limited budget. They already have raised garden beds that students are involved without throughout the process, from planting to harvesting, and are hoping to expand that project. 

With their grant funds, Town of Webb School will be adding plastic to the raised garden beds and a drip irrigation system on a timer to help conserve water. They will also make a brick and concrete area in their courtyard useable with a container garden for watermelon and pumpkins. The students have already worked on figuring out alternative growing methods for their climate like ambient heated area and cold frame growing beds and are eager to learn more. 

The garden is a living classroom for Spanish classes, science, photography, art, English, math, and home and careers. Having the garden available for learning helps students discover an appreciation for participating in nature and understand the importance of being good stewards of our environment on a local and global scope.

Learn more about the Agricultural Literacy Grant and view the other recipients on our website
Teacher Resources
Elementary Resources
Eggs: From Hen to Home
In this lesson students will learn about the production of eggs beginning on the farm and ending in their home. Students will also identify the culinary uses and nutritional benefits of eggs.
From Soybeans to Car Parts
Students learn about soybeans and investigate the collaborative work of an agricultural scientist and engineer who found new uses for an agriculture product (soybeans). This lesson can be used as an opportunity to discuss careers in science and engineering, biobased products, and the use of renewable resources.
Give Me Five!
Students learn about the five food groups and what state-grown foods fit into each group. This lesson makes a local connection to good nutrition and a healthy lifestyle.
Middle School/ High School Resources
A Common Thread: The Significance of Wool in Medieval England
In this series of two 60-90 minute sessions, students will understand how agriculture influenced and shaped culture, class, and society during the Middle Ages. This lesson is best for grades 6-8. 

Hen House Engineering 
Students will use the Claim, Evidence, and Reasoning model to evaluate styles of housing used for laying hens in the production of eggs in this lesson. Using critical thinking skills, students will compare housing styles, determine which system meets their animal welfare standards, and engineer their own hen house model to meet the needs of laying hens.
Phenomena in Agriculture
A phenomenon is simply an observable event. In the science classroom a carefully chosen phenomenon, like "w hy do sunflowers follow the sun?", can drive student inquiry. Phenomena add relevance to the science classroom showing students science in their own world. The middle school and high school "Life Sciences" lists on this website provide several agricultural examples for episodes in phenomena storylines.

Robotic Farming of the Future
Robots are getting better and better with the growing sophistication of artificial intelligence. The University of Sydney's Australian Centre for Field Robotics are pioneers when it comes to robotic farming. Having developed a series of driverless tractors, this video will give you a sneak peek as to how future farms and orchards will operate in the era of mass automation.
October Book Nook
It Feels Like Snow
Alice doesn't need a weather forecast to tell if it's going to snow. She can feel it in her toes and elbows and nose. Each time she feels a twitch or a tingle, she warns her neighbors. But sure enough, the snow falls and catches everyone by surprise- everyone that is except Alice, who has loaded in her supplies. But now she feels a big snowstorm coming. And still her neighbors ignore her warnings. What will Alice do? Read to find out! 
An Orange in  January
This book by author Diane Hutts Aston tells the story of the orange beginning with the blossom and ending with the juicy fruit in winter. Illustrations of the plant's growth cycle, produce history, and transportation to the grocery store are included.
Bread Lab!
It's a sleepy Saturday morning for most people, but not for Iris, who has to feed her many pets before Aunt Mary arrives. Iris likes to call Aunt Mary "Plant Mary" because she is a plant scientist. Today Aunt Mary wants to experiment with making whole wheat sourdough bread from scratch! As the family kitchen transforms into a bread lab, Iris is surprised that bread needs only four ingredients-flour, water, salt, and starter. She also learns about the invisible microbes that make the dough rise, and how flour comes from wheat grown by farmers. It all seems magical, but it's really science. Read it with your class and consider making bread or doing a taste test. 
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