January 2026 | Issue #172 Click 'View Entire Message' to make sure you don't miss important information! | | | | |
Read ME MORE!
MAITC is proud to announce the pilot of a new program, Read ME MORE! Designed to mimic Read ME Agriculture for grades 5 and 6, pilot classrooms will receive a copy of A Handful of Stars by Cynthia Lord.
The Read ME MORE book will come with hand-picked supporting resources, including videos and lessons related to blueberries, native bees, and migrant farm workers. We are currently looking for ten interested classrooms to help trial this program. If interested in participating, please email maitc@maine.gov by January 31, 2026.
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The 2026 Read ME Agriculture program, sponsored by Maine Agriculture in the Classroom and the Maine AGRICULTURE SPECIALTY LICENSE PLATE will be held March 16 - 20, for Maine students in grades PK-4. This year's book is "I Love Blueberries," is written by Shannon Anderson and illustrated by Jaclyn Sinquett. Every Classroom, club, or homeschool group that participates will receive a copy of the book and an accompanying educator’s guide, with classroom activities aligned to standards.
To best serve the 1000 +/- classrooms that participate in Read ME Agriculture each year, the program follows a hybrid model, where classrooms can choose from in-person or virtual options. Classrooms may choose their own reader or ask MAITC for help finding a reader. Contacts may register just their own Classroom, or schools may choose 1 contact to register multiple classrooms.
Registration closes on January 19, 2026. If you register multiple classrooms, MAITC will contact you by email to get more information. Registrations will be accepted until materials are all spoken for on a first-come basis, so do not delay!
| | Please email us with any questions at: maitc@maine.gov | | | | |
Registration is OPEN! The Northeast Livestock Expo (NELE) Kids Day returns to the Windsor Fairgrounds on Friday, May 15, 2026.
A full day field trip experience for grades K-4, NELE Kids Day offers students the opportunity to interact with over 30 agricultural exhibits and commodities that they may not otherwise have access to.
Busing is reimbursable for schools within a 60 mile radius. Only 2500 students are accepted, so register today!
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Grades K-2
Fruits of Our Labor
Students discover how fresh fruits can be dried and preserved by participating in an activity where they make raisins by drying grapes.
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Grades 3-5
A "Sour" Subject
Students investigate the growth and production of citrus fruits and use observation and mathematical computation to compare and contrast grapefruits and lemons.
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Grades 6-8
FoodMASTER Middle: Fruits
Students will learn the concept of enzymatic browning and methods for decreasing enzymatic oxidation by observing three types of fruit. Students will also understand the relationship between oxidation and antioxidants and the role fruits play in health and nutrition.
| | Looking for more? Explore the Agricultural Literacy Curriculum Matrix HERE | | From blossom to the hands of a child, an orange is seemingly bursting with sunshine even on the coldest of January days. An Orange in January is a story about a child who shares his juicy orange segments on a cold day and feels the sunshine it brings to all. | |  | How do you knit a pair of mittens? The first step is to get a sheep of course! In this playful story, a girl follows 18 steps to knit mittens—from bringing home a sheep to carding, spinning, and dyeing the wool to knitting the mittens. But along the way, her mischievous sheep creates chaos and wins her heart. By wintertime, the girl has sunny-yellow mittens, the sheep has a sunny-yellow hat, and together they're ready for adventure. This tale of patience, creativity, and friendship is knitted from skeins of humor and love. | | | |
Funding from this plate impacts up to 200,000 students annually with lessons, materials, volunteers and teacher training. Additionally, up to $60K is distributed annually in grants to schools, FFA, 4-H and other Non-profit programs for Ag education initiatives by the Maine Agriculture in the Classroom Council.
Learn more about the Ag plate 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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