Preschool to high school educators can take course to expand agriculture curriculum

Applications are available at the Bureau County Farm Bureau for this year’s Awesome Agriculture Week, targeted toward preschool to high school educators who want to expand their classroom curriculum in the Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources pathway.

During the four-day session, attendees will travel to several locations around the area including farms and agribusinesses in Rock Island, Whiteside, Lee, Bureau, Marshall and Putnam counties to gain valuable in-person professional development experiences directly correlated to the curriculum. This year’s dates for the session are June 10-13.

This course focuses on integrating the personal experiences gained along with resources and hands-on activities about agriculture and the environment into the existing classroom curriculum. Two graduate credits from the University of St. Francis or professional development hours (about 30) can be earned upon successful completion of the course.

Participants can expect in-class instruction about agriculture and the entire food and fiber system, consumer issues relating to agriculture, teaching innovations and resources available to them including the Ag in the Classroom curriculum; field trips to farms or other production enterprises and/or agribusinesses; lab activities relating to science and agriculture in the classroom; free teaching materials and more.

The cost for the class is $100 and enrollment is limited to 30 teachers. If a teacher is a farm bureau member or signs up as a member, the class costs $80. Applications are available at the Bureau County Farm Bureau at 815-875-6468. Applications are due May 24.