December 19, 2007
Florida Ag In The Classroom Funds 25 Teacher Grant Projects Around The State
Students around the state will learn how to use different growing systems and the importance of Florida agriculture, food safety and soil quality as part of the 25 teacher grant projects in which they will participate, thanks to the funding these projects will receive from Florida Agriculture in the Classroom, Inc., for the 2007-08 school year.
Teachers in elementary, middle and high schools around the state will reach nearly 8,900 students with their projects, which range from growing strawberries, blueberries, nursery products and other commodities and reading historic Florida novels about the state’s agriculture industry.
“Florida agriculture plays a huge role in the state’s economy and history, and our teacher grant projects allow us to give teachers the funding they need to teach their students about this important industry,” said Cara Martin, chairman of Florida Ag in the Classroom and assistant director of government and community affairs for Florida Farm Bureau.
Florida Ag in the Classroom uses proceeds from the sale of agriculture specialty license plates, or the Ag Tag, to pay for these grant projects, which totaled more than $28,000 this school year.
Florida Ag in the Classroom is a non-profit association based in Gainesville charged with helping teachers educate students in kindergarten through 12th grade about the importance of Florida agriculture by providing them with curricula, materials, workshops, grant money and other programs. It is funded solely by sales of the agriculture specialty license plate also known as the “Ag Tag.”
The 2007-08 Teacher Grant projects approved for funding are:
“Discovering Florida: Our Food, Our People, Our Land”
Archer Community School in Alachua County will teach first- through fifth-graders about man’s dependence on agriculture and agriculture’s dependence on the land and its resources. Students will read several historical novels about the development of Florida agriculture, and participate in Florida Ag in the Classroom curricula and activities.
Alachua
“From Seed to Shelf: Where Your Food Comes From”
Lincoln Middle School eighth-graders in Alachua County will learn about where their food comes by planting a schoolyard garden, and participating in Florida Ag in the Classroom lessons and activities.
Brevard
“A Kinder Garden in Kindergarten”
Endeavor Elementary School in Brevard County will teach kindergarteners how plants grow and where certain food items come from by expanding a schoolyard garden, and presenting Florida Ag in the Classroom lessons and activities.
“The Outdoor Learning Classroom”
Roosevelt Elementary School in Brevard County will teach students in kindergarten through sixth grade about Florida vegetable and horticulture production by planting a raised-bed garden and presenting Florida Ag in the Classroom lessons.
Broward
“Garden Buddies”
McNab Elementary School in Broward County will teach first- and second-graders about Florida agriculture and where their food comes from by planting a schoolyard garden and presenting Florida Ag in the Classroom lessons.
Gadsden
“Trees and Shrubs for Our Playground”
Students in pre-kindergarten through fifth grade at George W. Munroe Elementary School in Gadsden County will learn about the Florida horticulture industry by planting trees and shrubs in their schoolyard and participating in Florida Ag in the Classroom lessons.
Gilchrist
“Could It Be Something I Ate?”
Bell Elementary School fourth-graders in Gilchrist County will learn about nutrition, food safety and Florida agriculture through scientific experiments and Florida Ag in the Classroom lessons.
Hernando
“Gardening in Small Spaces with Edible Plants”
Sixth-graders at Gulf Coast Academy of Science and Technology in Hernando County will learn how Florida commodities such as strawberries, blueberries and other edible plants can be grown in small spaces, and the science behind these activities by planting a garden and participating in Florida Ag in the Classroom lessons.
Hillsborough
“Living, Learning and Loving the Land”
Students in kindergarten through fifth grade at Lawton Chiles Elementary School in Hillsborough County will learn about Florida agriculture production by planting a schoolyard garden and participating in Florida Ag in the Classroom lessons.
“Rampello Pirates Garden, Recycle and Conserve in the City”
Fifth-graders at Rampello Downtown Partnership School in Hillsborough County will learn about Florida commodity production and how to grow food by planting a container garden and participating in Florida Ag in the Classroom lessons.
Indian River
“The Art Club Serenity Garden”
Students in kindergarten through fifth grade at Beachland Elementary School in Indian River County will learn about new varieties of Florida commodities by expanding a garden outside the art room.
Lee
“Challenger Kids Care”
Students in sixth, seventh and eighth grade at Challenger Middle School in Lee County will learn how Florida commodities grow, and will tend a garden to help feed local families in need.
Liberty
“Composting/Container Gardening Project”
Exceptional education students in ninth through 12th grade at Liberty County High School will plant and maintain gardening boxes and create compost bins to learn how Florida commodities grow.
Manatee
“Palma Sola Earthbox Research, Garden and Technology Restructure Project”
Third-graders at Palma Sola Elementary School in Manatee County will maintain five class gardens, and conduct experiments to improve soil quality, growing conditions, cultivation and harvesting. Four other classes will use Earthboxes to learn how Florida commodities are grown.
Marion
“CUBS Cove”
Students in kindergarten through fifth grade at Dunnellon Elementary School in Marion County will learn about Florida commodities by planting a schoolyard garden and participating in Florida Ag in the Classroom lessons.
“Plant It Einstein”
Students in kindergarten through fifth grade at Dr. N.H. Jones Elementary School in Marion County will learn how different plants are grown, and how important soil nutrition is in plants’ development. Students also will participate in Florida Ag in the Classroom lessons.
Miami-Dade
“Biotechnology and Agriculture”
Sixth- and seventh-graders at Ponce De Leon Middle School in Miami-Dade County will learn how to start an agricultural business in South Florida, and learn about the importance of tissue culture development to the agriculture industry.
“Twisp and Sprout”
Students in pre-kindergarten through third grade at South Miami K-8 Center in Miami-Dade County will learn about Florida agriculture by visiting with local farmers, reading historical novels like “Strawberry Girl” and planting a garden with commodities such as strawberries, vegetables, herbs and other plants.
Nassau
“Plight of the Bumblebees”
Students in kindergarten through fifth grade at Bryceville Elementary School in Nassau County will learn about diseases affecting honey bees, and establishing habitats to support local honey bee populations.
Pasco
“Pay Dirt: The Science and Economics of Vermiculture”
Students at James Irvin Education Center in Pasco County will learn about composting and its importance to the agriculture industry by establishing worm beds and studying Florida Ag in the Classroom lessons.
Polk
“Literature Gardens and Good Stewardship”
Students in pre-kindergarten through eighth grade at St. Paul Lutheran School in Polk County will establish a “literature garden” to grow plants they learn about by reading historical novels. In addition, they will participate in Florida Ag in the Classroom lessons.
“Operation: Blue Thumb”
Students in kindergarten through fifth grade at Lincoln Avenue Academy in Polk County will learn about Florida agriculture by establishing a hydroponics garden, listening to an industry speaker from Mosaic and participating in Florida Ag in the Classroom lessons.
Santa Rosa
“It’s Cracker Time! A Literature Study of Florida History and Agriculture”
Exceptional education students in ninth through 12th grade at Navarre High School in Santa Rosa County will learn about Florida agriculture by reading in historical novels, and making dishes eaten by Floridians at the turn of the century.
Sumter
“Reading, Writing, ‘Rithmatic and Rooting for Roses”
Fifth-graders at Wildwood Elementary School in Sumter County will learn about how plants grow and the Florida horticulture industry by maintaining a rose garden.
Volusia
“Let’s Get Growing”
Students in kindergarten through fifth grade at Manatee Cove Elementary in Volusia County will learn about how people depend on agriculture for the food they eat, and how plants grow by planting a schoolyard garden and participating in Florida Ag in the Classroom lessons.
For more information:
Lisa Gaskalla
(352) 846-1391
LBGaskalla@ifas.ufl.edu
