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Read ME Agriculture
Registration Deadline
January 1, 2018
Maine Agricultural Trades Show
Augusta Civic Center
January 9-11, 2018
Maine Nutrition Council Educational Event
Augusta Civic Center
January 11, 2018
9am-11am
Maine Farm to Institution Summit
Hutchinson Center, Belfast
February 9, 2018
Read ME Agriculture
March 19-23, 2018
Maine Nutrition Council
Annual Conference
USM Lewiston-Auburn Campus
April 11, 2018
National Agriculture in the Classroom Conference
Portland, ME
June 26 - 29, 2018
Teach ME about Food & Farms
Lesson site developed for Maine Educators
**Contact us to plan a workshop date for your school for Spring 2018
| Special Programs |
Looking for a presenter or field trips? Check out our Teachers Resource Guide
See the Maine Farm to School Census here. Are you participating?
Maine School Garden Networkresource for all school gardens across Maine!
Search The National Ag in the Classroom Curriculum Matrix for resources.
Fuel Up to Play 60 offers educators a wide array of resources they can use to help students make sustainable changes in their school environment.
Agroworld- agricultural science e-zine developed for the secondary educator
Kids Gardening has ideas about plants and gardens, teacher resources, and grant opportunities.
The Chop Chop magazine and website has easy and healthy recipes.
Illinois Agriculture in the Classroom Ag Mags are 4-page, colorful agricultural magazines for kids.
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| Agriculture License Plate |
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Funding from this plate has impacted 80,000 students in 2014 with lessons, materials, volunteers and teacher training. Annually up to $60K is distributed in grants to schools, FFA, 4-H and other Non-profit programs for Ag education initiatives by the Maine Agriculture in the Classroom Council.
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| Contact Us |
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28 State House Station
Augusta, Maine 04333
207-287-5522 |
| Our Mission Statement |
"To promote the understanding of agriculture and natural resources among students, educators, and the general public"
Sign up for this newsletter
Email: maitca@maine.gov
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December Newsletter
#75 |
2017 |
March 2018 - Applesauce Day
Authored by Lisa Amstatz and illustrated by Talitha Shipman. Each classroom will receive a copy of the book, along with lesson ideas and information on Maine Agriculture given by a volunteer reader from the area.
All Maine classrooms in grades PreK-4 and volunteers from agriculture are invited to participate. There is no limit to the amount of presentations you schedule or materials you request. You may sign up both teachers and volunteers OR you may submit just teachers or just volunteers and MAITC will provide the missing component. All forms must be returned to the MAITC office by January 1, 2017 to ensure that all volunteers and classrooms receive the books and materials. SIGN UP TODAY!
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2018 Teacher of the Year Announced
Beth Prelgovisk
Beth, a Health and Physical Education Teacher at Messalonskee High School, has been chosen as the 2018 Maine Agriculture in the Classroom Teacher of the Year! Mrs. Prelgovisk has been working with MAITC for 5 or 6 years, since her first MAITC grant application that helped to build a greenhouse at the high school. Read more.
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Mark your calendars for January 9-11th to visit MAITC at the Agricultural Trades Show located at the Augusta Civic Center. For more information.
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Thanks Farmer Kev!
At a recent MAITC training, Maine FoodCorps Service Members got to learn about farming, soil, and sustainability from Farmer Kev of Farmer Kev's Organics. Thank you for being a part of our day!
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Thursday, January 11, 2018
9-11am, Augusta Civic Center
Join the Maine Nutrition Council for their January Educational Event at the Agricultural Trades Show! Louis Bassano from the UMaine Extension will be speaking on "Trends in the Specialty Food Industry."
What's hot? What's not? Why does it matter? Learn about the latest research on consumer food beliefs, behaviors and projected trends for the 21st Century Consumer. This workshop will feature a discussion on the specialty food industry including important food trends that are driving sales. The presenter will discuss key attitudes and habits of Millennials and suggest ways that food manufacturers can market to this important consumer group. In addition, the differences between Millennials, Gen X'ers, and Baby Boomers will be explored.
Pre-register by email to Kelsey.
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Food: Waste Less and Enjoy! It's Good for All of Us
Check out this play from the Fuel Up to Play 60 Playbook about reducing food waste in your school. There are strategies to get involved at all different levels. Resources include curriculum connections, checklists, funding opportunities, and more!
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The Nitrogen Cycle Game
Have you ever struggled with teaching the nitrogen cycle? Or have your students had a difficult time grasping the concept? It's required learning, but it doesn't mean it's easy! Have you tried this "Cycling the Nitrogen Cycle" game from Nutrients for Life? Use this game to enforce the concepts after a discussion on nitrogen fixation, ammonium, volatilization, nitrate and denitrification.
Try playing the Nitrogen cycle game!
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The Summit will gather farmers and food producers, food service operators, advocates, educators, administrators, and others dedicated to cultivating the power of institutions to develop an equitable and resilient Maine food system. Learn more. Register today!
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Lessons:
- Dig 'Em Up
Grades: K-2. In this lesson students will learn the functions of roots, recognize the difference between a tap and fibrous root system, and identify the roots of some plants as edible.
- Eat 'Em Up
Grades: K-2. In this lesson students will review the plants parts that they eat including the roots, stem, flower, leaves, fruit, or seed. Students will choose a favorite fruit or vegetable to feature in a healthy recipe and prepare it with their families.
- Discover Christmas Trees
Grades: K-5. This lesson is composed of six learning activities to teach about the Christmas tree. Science, history, and geography topics are used to teach about the history of the Christmas tree, life cycle of a conifer, types of trees and how they adapt, working on a Christmas tree farm, and the ecology of conifer trees.
- Food Choices and Sustainability
Grades: 6-8. Purpose: To examine the various factors that contribute to a sustainable food system and apply critical thinking when making food choices.
- Filling the Global Grocery Bag
Grades 9-12. Students learn what factors affect a country's ability to produce their own food and how food expenses differ throughout the world.
Books:
- Christmas Farm
- Christmas Tree Farm
- Plants Feed Me
- Tops & Bottoms
- Agronomy - Grow with It!
- Spill the Beans and Pass the Peanuts
Video:
Digital Farming 360
How to Read Nutrition Facts - Food Labels Made Easy
Vertical Farming
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Save the Date!
The National Agriculture in the Classroom Conference is coming to Portland, ME! June 26-29, 2018. Keep your eyes and ears open for great opportunities!
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