State Programs
State Summary 2010 — Montana
State Contact
Ms. Lorri Brenneman
MT Dept. of Agriculture/AMS
P.O. Box 1056
Manhattan, MT 59741
P: 406.437.1906
E: lbrenneman@mt.gov
Website
Classroom Resources
1. Montana Kids, Critters, & Commodities", integrated agriculture lessons for grades 4-6. Available in electronic format, hard copy, or on the web at: http://www.aginmontanaschools.org/teachers.htm
2. Montana Rangelands, Getting to Know the Pieces. Includes integrated lessons on Montana Rangelands with science kits and poster. Poster on web at: http://www.aginmontanaschools.org/teachers.htm 3. Poster: Agriculture! Montana's #1 Economy. Developed to showcase commodity production by counties in Montana, includes Indian Education for All requirements and statistically links to the NASS bulletin for Montana.
4.The Very Hungry Caterpillar Visits Montana" workbook was again granted permission by Eric Carle for 2010, this continues to be Montana's teachers favorite agriculture literacy hands on publication for grades K-4. http://www.aginmontanaschools.org/teachers.htm
5. Economics and Agriculture lesson plans developed for grades 5-9. http://www.aginmontanaschools.org/teachers.htm
6. Health and Nutrition lesson plans and links were added to the Ag in Montana Schools website. Eat Fit was suggested by Ag in Montana schools and is currently being used in one of the largest school districts in Montana. http://www.aginmontanaschools.org/teachers.htm
Major Program Accomplishments or Outputs
One of our greatest accomplishments this year was implementing teacher pre-services at Montana Universities. Helen Hanson, President of AMS, met Montana College Professor of the Year, Delena Norris-Tull, at a meeting in Washington, DC. Following their conversation, Dr. Delena Norris-Tull opened up her classroom for agriculture literacy teacher pre-service training. Dr. Delena Norris-Tull has requested agriculture literacy be offered to all pre-service teachers from this point forward at Western. Agriculture in Montana School s 4-6 grade curriculum, Montana Kids, Critters, and Commodities was completed. The 4-6 grade curriculum contains over 190 pages of lesson plans and activities, each integrated and written to state standards. An economics section was added for grades 5-9, demonstrating some of the key elements of agriculture economics. Curriculums are now available on cd and the AMS website. A partnership with DNRC resulted in a Montana Rangelands curriculum. Positive benefits of grazing, rancher management of rangelands, and multiple uses were the focus. Lesson plans (developed or adapted) and a colorful and educational poster accompanied the project. Fifty one FFA Chapters pledged to build and plant classroom garden boxes with elementary students for AMS. A shortage of agriculture education majors at Montana State University resulted in an SAE program for FFA students, who will experience teaching in a 5th grade classroom with concise and accurate modeled lessons on agriculture science subjects, developed by the Ag Literacy Specialist. The contest (formerly known as the Bumper Sticker contest) has had some revisions and is now called the Show Me and Teach Me about Montana Agriculture contest. This year's winning artwork and slogans will be printed on placemats along with recipes for Montana s best commodities. Placemats are distributed to schools, restaurants, and businesses across Montana as part of Nat l Ag Week celebrations.
Major Program Impacts or Outcomes
" 90% - 95% of the 3000 teachers who attended Montana Educations Associations two day seminar visited the AMS booth and were eager to take and utilize materials. " 100% of teachers who attended teacher in-service trainings said they would use the new agriculture literacy materials in their classrooms. " Our state mandates Indian Education for All. 100% of the new curriculums we developed this year contain lessons which address this legislative mandated education. " Through our workbook based on Eric Carle's Very Hungry Caterpillar we have recorded a 500% increase in large school districts using agriculture literacy materials in grades K-4. " 300% increase was seen in the amount of universities/colleges who were open to teacher pre-service training.
Biosketch
I was raised in Montana in a very small town next to Glacier National Park, and have lived in Montana most of my life. My family includes my husband David, and our two children. I attended Montana State University and earned my undergraduate degrees in 2001. I graduated with a Masters in Education and Curriculum Instruction/Development in 2007. My interest and love of agriculture began when I went to spend summers helping my grandmother on her farm. I went on to be involved in agriculture as a high school student, and I also studied agriculture during my undergrad degree. My husband and I have operated small farms over the last 18 years, raising crops like mint, certified hay, and piedmontese beef along with our standard crops. I have been involved with AITC for 4 years. During the first two years I was working as a teacher in an elementary/middle school where I taught plant sciences among other subjects, and worked with Ag in Montana Schools. I have been involved in the National Agriculture in the Classroom organization for about 2 years. I enjoy working with Agriculture in the Classroom, and find that agriculture literacy is really very much sought after by teachers and students as our world moves away from its agricultural roots.