Two-day professional development workshops for teachers will be offered throughout the summer and around the state by the Iowa Agriculture Literacy Foundation and partner organizations.

The workshops will help teachers apply Iowa Core standards including social studies and science in the context of agriculture. The workshops will also use agriculture to teach other core concepts and skills like language arts and math. The workshops will be hands on and interactive with one day of site visits and tours and one day of practical classroom application. Many STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) concepts will be integrated throughout.

“My main goal was to get a credit. But once I got into the workshop, I realized it would exceed my expectation,” said Betsy Anderson, a workshop participant in 2018. “I knew some of the information, but it was great to have it connected to real farmers and the science behind farming in Iowa.”

The dates of the workshops are June 3-4 in Sioux Center; June 11-12 in Calmar; June 13-14 in Algona; June 13-14 in Pella; June 26-27 in Eldridge; June 26-27 in Fort Dodge; July 10-11 in Griswold; July 17-18 in Council Bluffs; July 23-24 in Ankeny; Aug. 5-6 in Indianola; and Aug. 5-6 in Manchester.

The workshops will include lesson demonstration, hands-on implementation of concepts, tours of farms and agribusinesses, and technical skills in agriculture. The workshops will be available for teacher recertification credit and graduate level credit.

“It was simply the best professional development course I've taken," said 2018 workshop participant Kerri Bell. “It offered so much for two solid days. I loved every minute of it. I've made so many new friends across southeast Iowa to collaborate with. I'm excited to have more resources.”   

Workshops are made possible by supporters of the Iowa Agriculture Literacy Foundation including the Silos and Smokestacks National Heritage Area, Bayer, REAP Conservation Education Program and Farm Credit Services of America, with additional support from Iowa Corn Growers Association, Iowa Farm Bureau Federation, Iowa Pork Producers Association, Corteva Agriscience, GROWMARK and the Iowa Beef Industry Council. To find out more about workshops in your area, visit www.IowaAgLiteracy.org, email info@iowaagliteracy.org or call 515-331-4182.