2018 AGRICULTURAL LITERACY BOOK NOW AVAILABLE 

Seed Soil Sun by Cris Peterson is New Hampshire's 2018 Agricultural Literacy
book of the year.   Appropriate for grades 
K-4, this book uses wonderful photographs to explore soil, follow germination, look at composting, touch on photosynthesis and discover the edible parts of a plant.   If you would like a copy of the book along with the Educators' Resource Guide, please contact NHAITC.  The cost is $6. each if picked up at the Farm Bureau in Concord.  We can mail them directly to you for an additional $2.50 per book.
TUCKER MOUNTAIN MAPLE CHALLENGE

The application process for the Tucker Mountain Challenge  is now open! A  completed application which includes a detailed plan for your maple syrup production should be submitted by 1/15/18.  By 4/15/18, a quart of classroom produced maple syrup needs to be delivered to the NH Farm Bureau in Concord.  Entries which qualify as maple syrup through density testing will be part of a public taste testing in May.  The class which produces the  best tasting maple syrup receives $2,000 from the state maple producers! The Tucker Mountain Challenge is a fantastic hands-on and engaging project which brings together all of the educational principles involved in the maple syrup production process.   If you would like to be matched with a mentor to help with the application and production process, please contact  Bruc e Tre at from the NHMPA.                    
                    contest information         contest application

APPLICATION DEADLINE JANUARY 15TH 
TAPPING INTO MAPLE TRADITION

Check out the Tapping Into Maple Tradition resources on our  website .  You will find a number of K-12 lessons for a variety of academic areas along with videos and a poster.  Select the components that will best support your classroom activities.  
MAPLE EQUIPMENT GRANTS AWARDED

Congratulations to the 5 teachers who received maple  equipment grants to enhance their classroom curriculum.  Tree tapping and other supplies will help students learn about the maple  syrup production process from tree identification to 
photosynthesis to evaporation  while taking part in the Tucker  Mountain Challenge.
 
Lincoln Street School - Keith Schmidt
Pine Tree Elementary - Heidi Belle-Isle  
Robert J. Lister Academy - Christine Stillwell
Paul Elementary School - Gavin Kearns
Somersworth Middle School - Daryl Dunbar

CLASSROOM CONNECTION  

Get ready for maple sugaring season!

Learn about the maple sugaring process - the equipment and its changes over time, climate, and technology. How has it changed through history and what might it look like in the future?

Sweet Sugaring                          2nd-6th
Learn about maple sugaring and give it a try!  Sap, consisting mostly of water, can be changed into sweet syrup by heating the sap to evaporate most of the water.  

6th-9th      Students will make and test a hydrometer and then use it to test the sugar concentration of different grades of maple syrup.
 
Maple Smart Board Presentation
This interactive presentation looks at 
places where maple syrup is produced, h istory, t ree identification, a nimals in the sugarbush, m aple syruping season,  p rocess of tapping trees and the tools used and n utrition.
 
Discover How Trees Grow & Function  4th-8th      Role-play the growth process of a tree. Learn about tree form and function including photosynthesis.

Students will help design an experiment to see if adding energy (heating) affects the rate of evaporation. Look at molecular animations to help explain why the heating water increases the rate of evaporation, introduce a more detailed model of the water molecule and create 3-d Styrofoam models.


NHAITC OUT & ABOUT

 Farm & Forest Expo
 The Radisson in Manchester
 Feb 2nd & 3rd, 2018

  2018 School to Farm Days
 Merrimack County        5/10/18
 Sullivan County            5/16/18
 Grafton/Coos Counties  5/24/18
 Belknap County            9/18/18
 Rockingham/Strafford at UNH
                                early June
 registration links can be found   on our website: 
  www.agclassroom.org/nh

 PLAN AHEAD:
 the 2018  National Agriculture   in the Classroom Conference    will be in Portland,   Maine          June 26-29, 2018

CLASSROOM SUPPORT

  Schoolyard Action Grant
 Funds for school projects   which  nurture future     environmental stewards by   connecting kids with their local   environment and to enliven   learning through nature.   Application due 1/15/18.

 New  National Ag in the Classroom store offers a   selection of resources and   supplies.

 NHAITC has free seeds   available for classroom   projects.  They are a year old,   but should germinate just fine.     Please email requests to:    [email protected]

Connect with us for the latest news and resources:

[email protected]  I  www.agclassroom.org/nh  I  (603) 224-1934

SUPPORT  NHAITC