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An Afternoon of Aquaponics
Sanford Junior High
February 6, 2018
Maine Farm to Institution Summit
Hutchinson Center, Belfast
February 9, 2018
Read ME Agriculture
March 19-23, 2018
Maine Nutrition Council
Annual Conference
"Sustainable Nutrition for ME"
USM Lewiston-Auburn Campus
April 11, 2018
Maine School Garden Day
Maine Academy of Natural Sciences
Hinckley, ME
April 28, 2018
NELE Kids Day
Windsor Fairgrounds
May 17, 2018
Southern Maine Children's Water Festival
University of Southern Maine - Portland Campus
May 18, 2018
Nature-Based Education Institute
University of Maine at Farmington
May 18-20, 2018
2017 Grant Reports DUE
June 1, 2018
2018 MAITC Grant Applications DUE
June 7, 2018
4pm
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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February Newsletter
#77 |
2018 |
Have YOU Signed Up??
Materials Still Available! This year's Read ME book is 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. For more info and to sign up.
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Did you know? We offer grants in four different categories, ranging from $1,000 to $3,000? The Maine Agriculture in the Classroom Council has up to $60,000 to offer in support of Maine agriculture education in grades Pre-Kindergarten through 12 as a direct result of the Maine Agricultural Specialty License Plate. Visit our website to view and download the request for applications, as well as to see a list of past grant winners.
Start your applications early! The deadline for submission for current applications is 4:00 PM on June 7, 2018
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The National Ag in the Classroom Conference is coming to Maine in late June! Scholarships are available for teachers! Contact the office if you have questions!
Click here for more information on the conference. |
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Maine School Garden Day - April 28th
Maine Academy of Natural Sciences, Hinckley, ME
The Maine School Garden Network, in collaboration with Maine Agriculture in the Classroom, will host a full day of hands on workshops, presentations and discussions. We are in the planning phase of this exciting and informative annual event. More information about how to register will be available soon.
Save the date! April 28, 2018
Maine Academy of Natural Sciences - Hinckley, ME.
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Left to right: Doug Robertson, State FFA Advisor, Maine Department of Education; Maryjane Stafford, Chair,MAITC Association; Willie Sawyer Grenier, Executive Director; Kelsey Fortin,Program Assistant. Student State Officers of the Maine FFA Association (formerly known as "Future Farmers of America") enjoyed in depth discussions with representatives of Maine's agriculture and natural resources community on January 9, 2018 at the Agricultural Trades Show in the Augusta Civic Center.
For more information about Maine FFA and how to start an FFA chapter, please contact: Doug Robertson, Agriculture & Natural Resources Specialist and Maine FFA State Advisor, Maine Department of Education, doug.robertson@maine.gov (207)624-6744. Read more.
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Sustainable Nutrition for ME!
 
Register today for the Maine Nutrition Council Annual Conference! The conference will be held at the Univeristy of Southern Maine Lewiston-Auburn College in Lewiston, ME on Wednesday, April 11th, 8:00am-3:30pm. Keynote Speaker: Dr. Miriam Nelson, UNH Sustainability Institute. Topics for the day include: Sustainable dietary guidance, cooking demo basics, connecting local foods to cafeterias and institutions, sustainable seafood, and more! Stay up to date by checking the Facebook page.
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NELE Kids Day
The Northeast Livestock Exposition Kids Day will take place this year on Thursday, May 17th at the Windsor Fairgrounds. MAITC is a sponsor for busing for this event. Please contact Cindy Kilgore for more information and to sign up!
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New Purple Plow Challenge!
"Growing Your Community"
 For grades 5-8. Many people think food security is a problem that only affects third world countries. However, this is not the case. More than 42 million Americans live in food insecure households. Often, we think of individuals that are living with food insecurity to be homeless or easy to identify, yet they could be your neighbor or even a classmate. Are you ready to help solve this problem?
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Caring for Cows & Nourishing Communities
 Have you HERD? Discovery Education has partnered with National Dairy Council and America's dairy farm families and importers to bring your 5th-8th grade classes behind-the-scenes of the dairy community! Learn about modern farming, dairy's journey from farm to school, and the innovations that are helping care for cows and communities! Join us for a Virtual Field Trip, a 360º video experience and an interactive 360º hot spot image with accompanying activities and educator guides. Check it out!
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Session Highlight
Supporting Educational Gardens & Orchards - A Resource Overview & Technical Tips on building an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Toolbox
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You can now register for the 2018 Maine Farm to Institution Summit, February 9, 2018 at the Hutchinson Center in Belfast. |
A short presentation on offerings from the Maine School Garden Network and ReTreeUS. Learn what these organizations are doing to bring garden and orchard education to schools and other institutions around the state. ReTreeUS is planting educational orchards in schools and with other institutions, and you will learn how your institution can benefit from orchard education. Maine School Garden Network provides resources to teachers to support garden learning opportunities, you can learn about all these resources and about our Garden Coach program. Dig into technical concepts used to develop an "IPM Toolbox" and engage in plant health challenges.
Learn more about the summit. Registertoday!
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Nature-Based Education Institute
University of Maine at Farmington May 18-20, 2018
 UMF is pleased to announce its third annual Nature Based Education Institute, an innovative professional development opportunity for educators and administrators interested in implementing or expanding upon nature-based programming in their classrooms.
For more information and to register.
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Lessons:
- My Little Seed House and Seed Book
Grades: K-2. Students will observe the growth and development of seeds and learn what conditions make seeds germinate.
- Bartering Through the Seasons
Grades: 3-5. Students will learn about the seasons, become familiar with the process of wool production, and explore how trade and barter have historically allowed people to satisfy their needs and wants.
- Sustainable Economics: The Triple Bottom Line
Grades: 5-8. This unit was designed using the lens of sustainability- that is, looking at the decisions consumers and producers make through the triples lens of the environment, the economy, and from an equity perspective.
- Photoperiod Phenomena
Grades 9-12. Students will understand how photoperiodism impacts plants and animals in the environment and learn how egg farms use this science to manage the production of eggs by their hens.
Books:
- The Tiny Seed
- Seed, Soil, Sun: Earth's Recipe for Food
- A Seed is Sleepy
- A New Coat for Anna
- Brave Dogs, Gentle Dogs
- Charlie Needs a Cloak
- Unraveling Fibers
- Agronomy - Grow with It!
Video:
Eggs 101: A Video Project - The American Egg Board has a collection of short video clips highlighting many topics in the egg laying industry. Learn about the egg-laying hen, the egg, the history of egg farming, how eggs are processed, and take a field trip to an egg farm.
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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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