General Information

What is Ag in the Classroom?
What materials and services are available?
What benefits do students receive from Ag In The Classroom?
How can you help?

What is Ag In The Classroom?
    Ag In The Classroom is a nationwide program designed to help students develop an awareness and understanding of our food and fiber system, and how agriculture impacts our daily lives.  Ag In The Classroom (AITC) provides training and resources to use agriculture as a vehicle to teach across existing curriculum.

    Ag In The Classroom does not attempt to add anything to the existing school curriculum.  Instead, materials are designed to enhance the subjects that teachers are already required to cover.  For example, science standards such as soils can be discussed with an emphasis on how soils affect our food abundance and the characteristics of soil.  Geography lessons may cover where different crops are grown in the world, and how food is transported from one area of the world to another.

    South Dakota's Ag In The Classroom is a non-profit corporation whose members are individuals and organizations with an interest in teaching our youth about agriculture.  (For a list of current sponsors, click here.)

What materials and services are available?
    LOT! The major function of Ag In The Classroom is to act as an information source for teachers, helping them to find additional materials for the classroom.  The AITC executive director will:

• Conduct summer university graduate level "Ag Literacy" courses for South Dakota elementary teachers.
  
• Schedule in-service workshops to acquaint classroom teachers, as well as pre-service teachers, with Ag In The Classroom materials. (For more workshop info, click here.)
  
• Provide third and fourth grade students and teachers in the state with a quarterly Ag Mag "Mission Agriculture".   (Please contact us here if your school is not receiving these.)
  
• Locate resources, including lesson plans, videos, computer programs, web sites, science activities and experiments, guest speakers, and more. (Find links for these on the home page.)
  
• Work with local Chamber of Commerce Ag Committees in developing "Ag Field Days" for elementary students.  (Please contact us if your community is interested.)
  
• Conduct "Teacher of the Year" recognition program. (For the Teacher of the Year, click here.)

What benefits do students receive from Ag In The Classroom?

• Students learn to appreciate their food and fiber system by understanding what it takes for our state and nation to produce agricultural products.
  
• Students understand the importance of agriculture to our economy and society.
  
• Students use "hands-on" experiences to gain an awareness of agricultural sciences and economics.
  
• Students are exposed to hundreds of career opportunities in agricultural supplies, services and sciences.

How can you help?
SIGN-UP!  Print out the linked form and get involved either as a teacher, a volunteer, a financial supporter, or ALL of the above!  (To access the form, please click here.)

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