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STATE SUMMARY 2006 |
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NEW YORK
State Contact:
Ms. Heather Davis
Cornell University
Department of Education
106 Kennedy Hall
Ithaca NY 14853-4203 |
P: (607) 255-9252
F: (607) 255-7905
E: hed24@cornell.edu
Website |
Major projects accomplished this year
- The "Journey from Orchard to Table" interactive food system lesson (aligned with food & fiber systems literacy benchmarks and NY learning standards) continues to be offered by volunteer Farm Bureau ag interpreters in hundreds of upper elementary classrooms across the state.
- Twelve new teacher mini-grants were awarded to establish school food gardens through the Kids Growing Food program, including Ag Tech Prep high school/elementary partnership gardens. Survey was conducted of Kids Growing Food teachers (80 responses) which helps with program improvements, workshop planning, and accountability reporting; and provides information about garden sustainability and connections between schools and agriculture in the community.
- New resources were developed for the Be Aware of New York Agriculture Contest, to help teachers make the contest more educational and increase agricultural literacy. Student WebQuests for 2nd-6th grades and teacher guides for pre-school through 6th grade are available on the NY Ag in the Classroom website. Additional website additions include posting of K-2 NY Ag in the Classroom lessons, quizzes, and book lists.
- Workshops for teachers, extension educators, and volunteers were offered at several different venues, including Farm Bureau spring conference, Cooperative Extension and Agricultural Educators professional development conferences, Stone Barns school garden conference, 4-H Leaders Science & Technology Conference, and On the Farm Discovery Center summer teacher conference. Kids Growing Food school garden regional workshops are offered each spring for teachers.
- NY Farm Bureau Foundation for Ag Education developed and distributed 7500 instructional CDs on the History of NY Agriculture for middle school social studies teachers.
- Public agricultural literacy outreach displays and activities are offered at NY Empire Farm Days, NY State Fair, NY Farm Show, county fairs, and many local events.
Major impacts the program had this year
- 275 grants have been awarded since 1998 to start and develop school food gardens through the NY Ag in the Classroom Kids Growing Food program. Survey data indicates that the gardens impacted well over 50,000 students, teachers, and community members in 2005 by: creating opportunities to make links to agriculture, food systems, and good nutrition; increasing student motivation; providing opportunities for peer teaching; teaching life skills; integrating garden-based learning into the core curriculum; and involving the community in the gardens. Kids Growing Food has expanded to New Jersey, Maryland, and Washington DC.
- In 2005, over 8000 upper elementary students were impacted by the "Journey from Orchard to Table" program, an interactive food system lesson offered by volunteer Farm Bureau ag interpreters. Teachers completing the evaluation have agreed that presentations by community members are a valuable learning experience, and that the lesson: addressed learning standards and food & fiber systems literacy benchmarks, engaged students in learning, and was an appropriate use of instructional time.
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