June Empire Educator from NY Ag in the Classroom

June 2013

News

NYSECTA First Annual Conference

The New York State Elementary Classroom Teachers Association (NYSECTA) is hosting their first annual conference this August 12-14, at the Hilton Westchester, in Rye Brook, NY.

The theme of this year's professional development conference is "A Teacher Takes A Hand, Opens A Mind, Touches A Heart." Keynote speakers include
Dr. John B. King, Jr., Commissioner of Education; Dr. Bena Kallick, an international consultant; and Dr. Marc Brackett

, the Director of the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence. Register now to attend the conference.

June is National Dairy Month!

Ready to celebrate the end of the school year with your students? Why not also celebrate National Dairy Month! Every June is dedicated to the dairy industry and all of our favorite dairy products, why not enjoy some of those products with your students? Have a fruit and cheese party, teach your students how to make cheese or ice cream, or even visit a dairy farm with your students so they can see the process from the start! For more great dairy-related ideas and activities, visit the Milk Matters for Kids website, created by the NIH. Great for students of all ages.

World Food Day Poster Competition names theme,

"Healthy Food Systems"

Food systems are how we grow, process, package, transport, store, market, purchase, and eat our food. The total population on earth is expected to hit 9 billion by 2050 and in order to feed everyone, food production will have to increase dramatically.

Each of us has the power to help change our food systems. By eating nutritious food and reducing the amount of waste we create, we can help make our food systems more sustainable. Food systems connect us all. Let's be part of a worldwide change that leads to a healthy future - for ourselves and for our planet. This poster contest gives participants an engaging opportunity in understanding what it takes to create a sustainable food system.

This is an excellent opportunity to engage your students at the beginning og the school year in discussions about food security, sustainability, nutrition, and scientific research. To access the poster contest please follow this link: http://www.fao.org/getinvolved/wfd-poster-contest/en/

Educator Resources

Ideas and Inspirations

CLIF Kid Backyard Game of the Year

Are you and your students creative? Looking for more ways to get your students outside during the summer? Then enter the CLIF Kid Backyard Game of the Year contest! Contestants can enter as individuals with their children, or organizations can enter as groups. Prizes range from scholarships, vacations, new bikes, and charity donations. Entries need to be submitted by June 17th, see website for more details. Great for all ages, games created should be targeted towards children ages 6-12.

"A Day Without Agriculture"

Have your students ever asked you "What is agriculture?" or asked you how it affects their lives every day? Then the "A Day Without Agriculture" lesson is perfect for you. Developed by Oklahoma AITC, this lesson allows students to utilize language arts, math and social studies skill while exploring those questions and others about the world of agriculture. Great for students 1-3, the lesson and worksheets are available in both English and Spanish.

Books

First Garden by Robbin Gourley First Garden book

To inspire your students to garden this summer, both in the classroom and at home pick up the book First Garden, by Robbin Gourley, and you will find it to be a wonderful addition to your classroom. Follow along as First Lady Michelle Obama plants a kitchen garden on the grounds of the White House. Learn about the history and present use of the White House lawn and gardens. This book presents factual information on gardening as well as important nutrition guidelines and recipes for healthy eating. Wonderful book for grades 2-5.

Clarabelle by Cris Peterson

Celebrate National Dairy Month by telling your students the story of Clarabelle, by Cris Peterson. Describing all the latest technology available on a traditional Wisconsin dairy farm, this story follows the lives of the cow Clarabelle and her calf. And explains how none of the modern-day machinery matches the miracle of production that is the cow herself. Vibrant, close-up photographs capture Clarabelle with her herdmates and her newborn calf as well as the family members of Norswiss Farm who live and work together. Great book to celebrate National Dairy Month for grades K-6.

Web Resources

America's Heartland Video Series

America's Heartland is a magazine-style, half-hour series exploring the world of agriculture all across our nation. Sponsored by the American Farm Bureau Federation, this video series explores the world of agriculture all across our nation. Video segments can be viewed from the website and easily integrated into classroom discussions. Great for students of all ages, PreK-12.

Soil to Spoon

Need more ways to integrate soils, plants, and nutrition into your classroom? The Soil to Spoon collection employs reading booklets, educator packets, educational CD's, activities and more to teach students the basics of soil science, plant growth, healthy nutrition and agriculture across the country. Great for students PreK-12, the reading booklets are divided into four levels by grade levels.