Choose Iowa: Exploring local food, farms and agribusiness in the community
June 10-11
AEA at the Airport
Mason City
K-12 teachers, extension personnel, and others who educate youth, will engage in a variety of interactive experiences to learn lessons and activities to incorporate into their educational setting which meet the Iowa Core standards, particularly science and social studies. Course content will also support activities to build understanding of Iowa grown produce and food products.
Participants will interact with a variety of agricultural producers and businesses and will engage in related classroom lessons.
Day 1: “Farm to Table: Local producers & product” The first day of the workshop includes tours to a local vegetable farm and a local livestock farm. During Day 1 participants will experience how production agriculture relates to them, their community, and students. Through discussions with local producers, AITC staff, and small groups, participants gather a better understanding of how agriculture relates to their own classroom.
Day 2: “Entrepreneurs and Agribusiness in the Community” The second day of the workshop will also include tours of local farms using entrepreneurial ingenuity to meet consumer needs. To expand participant background knowledge, Day 2 will include a Lunch and Learn panel featuring individuals connected to the local and state agricultural community.
On both Day 1 and Day 2 participants will be immersed in hands-on lessons and activities that help them connect what they learned during tours to their classrooms. Participants are provided time to network with their peers, AITC staff, and local producers to help integrate their learning into their current classroom curriculum.
Participants will reflect upon their learning and determine which lessons they will incorporate into student learning.
Important Session Information:
Participants will need to dress appropriately for tours to farm operations and agricultural businesses.
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