The AITC National Resource Directory is an online database which lists hundreds of educational materials about agriculture. It was designed to help educators locate high quality resources about agriculture for a PreK through 12th grade youth audience. The resources in the directory cover a variety of agricultural subjects, and include lesson plans and other printed material, children's literature, CDs, videos, posters, kits, and instructional websites. The educational material is searchable by title, agricultural content, grade level, academic subject, media type and area of the country addressed in the resource.
This teacher resource directory is designed to highlight some of the best educational resources available for incorporating agriculture into your classroom. Each resource must be ordered or requested from the original supplier. The supplier information will be listed with each individual resource in the directory. The national resource directory does not house, sell, or ship any of the resources/materials listed.
All of the books, offered as resources, are either available from a specific supplier (i.e., Capstone Press) or can be ordered directly from Amazon.com by using the title or ISBN number.
What is Agriculture in the Classroom (AITC)?
Agriculture in the Classroom is a national program designed to help students, PreK through 12th grade, acquire the knowledge needed to become agriculturally literate. Through various programs and resources in every state, educators are encouraged to teach more about agriculture and the role it plays in our economy and society. For more information about the national and state Agriculture in the Classroom programs, visit the website: www.agclassroom.org.
Why is it important to teach students about agriculture?
Although less than two percent of our nation's population is directly involved in agricultural production, a healthy agricultural system is vital to everyone's daily life. Agriculture provides the basic necessities of food, clothing, and shelter, yet many of us take for granted the ease with which we obtain these items. Additionally, the important economic impact of agriculture in the United States and the world is often not realized.
History
The AITC National Resource Directory was created based on feedback from all state Agriculture in the Classroom program contacts, AITC Consortium priorities, teachers, Farm Bureau members, educators and others, as a response to expressed needs for improvements on an older printed version of the directory. The directory had its official online launch at the AITC National Convention in Nashville, Tennessee in 2003. The site continues to grow and improve daily, as new resources are added and reviewed, and new features are added to the site.
Terms of Use
Classroom materials (PDFs, PowerPoint files, etc.) and resource information from this website may be reproduced and used for educational not-for-profit purposes without the written consent of USDA-Agriculture in the Classroom, unless a copyright is noted on the resource. If a copyright is noted on the resources you must seek permission from the copyright holder. If no copyright is noted on the resource, use the following credit line, "Reproduced with the permission of U.S. Department of Agriculture, Higher Education Programs, Agriculture in the Classroom, [online] www.agclassroom.org."
Reviewers
All materials included in the AITC National Resource Directory have been reviewed to insure that they meet state and/or national core curriculum standards, while additionally meeting the Benchmarks for Agricultural Literacy. These resources are recommended to educators and students because they meet a number of criteria to ensure that they are up-to-date, professionally prepared, factually accurate and educationally sound.
Suggesting a Resource
Resources submitted to the National Resource Directory must address agricultural literacy benchmarks, meet K-12 national /state educational standards, and be appropriate for use in K-12 formal education settings/classrooms. Please note that the National Resource Directory does not have the ability to sell or warehouse resources. Submitted resources must be available for viewing or downloading online and/or can be ordered/purchased through an online location (website). New submissions are always welcome. Please provide as much information as you can about the resource, don’t forget to note the website address. Downloadable resources can be reviewed easily online but other resources (books, maps, DVDs, etc.) will require a review copy be sent to us. After you submit your resource suggestion you will be contacted if more information is needed or you will receive a message about the review status of the resource. To suggest a resource complete the "Suggest a Resource" form. If you have any further questions concerning the submission and/or review of new resources, please feel free to contact us.
Thank you for your interest in the Agriculture in the Classroom National Resource Directory!
Project Coordinator Rose Judd-Murray
National Advisory Board
Melanie Carney
Judy Culbertson
Kathleen Cullinan
Pam Emery
Kim Kroll
Allan Smith
Debra Spielmaker
Rosannah Taylor
Acknowledgements
The National Directory was developed by New York Agriculture in the Classroom (NYAITC) with assistance from California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom (CFAITC) and Utah Agriculture in the Classroom (UAITC), and is sponsored by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).
