Get a Grant Workshop

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Table of Contents Special Book Grants for Teachers ........................................................................................ 4 Project Grants for Teachers Application................................................................................ 5 Web Presence ..................................................................................................................... 7 Website Information ............................................................................................................. 8 Hungry Planet 

Hungry Planet Activity ...................................................................................................... 6

Pollinators 

Throw and Grow ............................................................................................................ 10

Soil and Water Stewardship 

Background Information and Resources ........................................................................ 11

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Wad-a-Watershed.......................................................................................................... 15

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Build a Bioreactor .......................................................................................................... 17

Seasons 

Garden in a Glove ......................................................................................................... 18

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Apple Chain ................................................................................................................... 19

Reading by Design 

Build a Calf .................................................................................................................... 20

Literature Circles 

Wheat ............................................................................................................................ 25

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Role Reading................................................................................................................. 26

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Illinois Ag in the Classroom Special Book Grants for Teachers The Illinois Agriculture in the Classroom program is offering special topic grants to teachers across the state of Illinois to award and ship the books. To apply for project funding, please complete the form on our website (http://www.agintheclassroom.org/TeacherResources/Grants.html), outlining the project, goals and desired outcomes.  Projects should focus on integrating agriculture into a variety of curriculum areas.  High School Ag teachers may apply with an elementary teacher if their classes or FFA Chapters are working with a specific classroom.  Grants that are accepted will have books shipped directly to the teacher. The teacher will complete the follow-up report by May 30, 2017.  Teachers will need to complete the section asking for a specific amount of books, with the total not to exceed $250. The following is a list of book grants you may apply for and the books included for each:  Hungry Planet Books (The Hungry Planet, What the World Eats, and What I Eat: Around the World in 80 Diets)  Pollinators Books (The Secret Life of Bees, When the Bees Fly Home, The Flight of the Honey Bee, The Honey Makers, and Monarch Butterfly)  Soil and Water Stewardship Books (Did a Dinosaur Drink This Water, National Geographic Kids: Water, Water is Water, Water, Jump into Science: Dirt, and Seed Soil Sun)  Seasons Books (Apple Orchard Riddle, How Many Seeds in a Pumpkin, On the Same Day in March, Oh Say Can You Seed, and National Geographic Reader: Seed to Plant)  Reading By Design Books (Temple Grandin, Fantastic Farm Machines, 11 Experiments That Failed, and Gregor Mendel: The Friar Who Grew Peas, My Garden)  Literature Circles Books (The Thing About Luck, Black Radishes, Seedfolks, My Louisiana Sky, The Year Money Grew on Trees, and Return to Sender)

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Illinois Ag In The Classroom Project Grants for Teachers The IAITC program and the IAA Foundation are offering grants of up to $300 to Pre-School through High School teachers across the state of Illinois to fund projects promoting agricultural literacy in the classroom. 

To apply for project funding, please complete the form below, outlining the project, goals and desired outcomes.

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Samples of funded grant applications can be found at www.agintheclassroom.org.

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Projects may be, but are not limited to, agricultural teaching units, classroom presentations, and career fairs. Be creative and develop an interesting, valuable agricultural experience for your students. Projects should focus on integrating agriculture into a variety of curriculum areas.

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Priority for grants will be given to grants that contain materials for use over multiple school years. Funding for field trips, landscaping and one time use consumables will not be granted.

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Applications must be received in the IAITC office by 4:00 p.m. on October 1. NOTE: We are accepting ONLY postmarked (mailed) applications. Teachers selected for the project funding will be notified and receive an agreement to be signed and returned. A final report, accounting, and project evaluation will be due to IAITC by May 31. Guidelines for the final reports will be mailed with checks.

Teacher’s Name Grade Level: (check as many as apply) Pre-School

K

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

5th

6th

7th

8th

High School (List Subject Area/s:

)

Name of School

Phone#

School Address City

State

Zip Code

State

Zip Code

County of School Home Address City

Email Address

Home Phone#

List the name of the college/institution or name of instructor where you saw an AITC presentation (if applicable)

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Title of Project: Common Core and Next Generation Science Standards Addressed: (if you do not have a copy of the Common Core or Next Generation Science Standards, you may call your Regional Office of Education or visit http://www.corestandards.org/ or http://www.nextgenscience.org/) Number of Students Involved in Project: Objectives: (please use extra paper if needed) 1.

2. 3. Materials Needed: Be very specific. (please use extra paper if needed) Overview of Activity and Project Timeline: (please use extra paper if needed)

Method of Project Evaluation: (please use extra paper if needed) Budget for Project: (please ITEMIZE and use extra paper if needed) SIGNATURE OF APPLICANT: X SIGNATURE OF BUILDING PRINCIPAL: X

PLEASE SEND THIS REQUEST TO: ILLINOIS AG IN THE CLASSROOM, 1701 TOWANDA AVENUE BLOOMINGTON, IL 61701, Phone: 309-557-3334, FAX: 309-557-2641 Incomplete applications will not be considered. NOTE: We are accepting ONLY postmarked (mailed) applications. An electronic version of this application can be found at www.agintheclassroom.org

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Web Presence www.agintheclassroom.org

facebook.com/agintheclassroom

twitter.com/ilagclass

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pinterest.com/iaitc

Website Information Teacher Resources—In this section you will find printable lesson plans, lesson booklets, AITC materials and make-n-take activities that are ready for use in your classroom. You will also find grants and other resources available to you. Contact Your County Agricultural Literacy Coordinator—Here you will find our County Coordinators listed in alphabetical order by county. These coordinators will help you obtain our free resources, including Ag Mags and kits, and they may even be able to set up time to come into your classroom to do activities with your students.

Teacher Workshops—Various professional development opportunities for educators are available, many of which offer PDCHs. Check here often to see when these are offered in your area. IL Farm Life—In this section, you will find photos, website links and other resources about general Illinois agriculture. County Support—This section is for county coordinators and staff. Agriculture in the Cafeteria—This section highlights our interactive My Illinois Plate poster. You can meet some of the farmers who grow your food! Social Media Buttons—Become a fan of our Facebook Page and follow us on Twitter and Pinterest by clicking on these buttons or by searching for Illinois Agriculture in the Classroom. This is a great place to collaborate and interact with other teachers with wonderful ideas to share. We also work to provide new videos, lessons, articles and websites that will help you with lessons in your classroom. U.S. Department of Agriculture AITC—Click here to go to the National AITC website. This is a great place to go and see lessons from Ag in the Classroom programs around the country. Links—Find links to other agricultural organizations. Support AITC—Clicking here will take you to the IAA Foundation website. The IAA Foundation raises funds for the Illinois AITC program in order to provide educators with free or low cost information and materials. Contact Us—Here you will find contact information for Illinois AITC. However, your first contact should always be your County Ag Literacy Coordinator, who is your link for free materials, kits and information. About AITC—Learn about the history of both the National and Illinois Ag in the Classroom Programs. Search—Search for lessons, activities and materials that will be useful in your classroom.

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Hungry Planet Objective: The students will compare and investigate cultures and geography around the world through the foods families eat. Common Core: ELA-Literacy.RI.2.1-4.1; RI.2-6.7; RI.4.2; RI.4.3; RI.4.6; RI.4.7; RF.4.4; W.4.3; W.4.7; SL.4.2 Next Generation Science Standards:

Life Cycles & Traits: 3-LS3-2 Weather & Climate: 3-ESS2-2

Directions: 1. Have the students pick one of the countries in the book (any country but the United States). Give the students a photocopy of the picture of their country from the book.

2. Students should investigate the country before writing a report. 3. Have the students fill in the blanks of the thinking triangle on page 13, which will be included in their report. 4. Have the students include agricultural aspects such as weather/climate, topography/landscape, soil types, etc. in their report. Each student should use these findings in their discussion of why the people of their assigned country can grow specific foods and why they can’t grow other types of food. Students should also discuss nutritional aspects. Does the food purchased fulfill all the nutritional needs of the people in that country? 5. After all students have completed their report, discuss how the United States differs from other countries. What kind of land and climate do we have? What types of food do we buy? How much money do American families spend on food?

Lesson Extender: 1. Have students compare and contrast different families from the book. They could compare types of food eaten, how much money was spent on food for the week, obesity rates, birth/death rates, etc.

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Throw & Grow Objective: The students will complete a hands on activity while learning about why we need to protect our pollinators. Making a throw and grow will help attract pollinators to our plants. Common Core State Standards: CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.4.7; SL.4.1 Next Generation Science Standards: Heredity: Inheritance and Variation of Traits: 3-LS3 Biological Evolution: Unity and Diversity: 3-LS4 Suggested Reading Material: IAITC’s Pollinator Terra Nova Materials: 

Air Dry Clay

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Compost

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Flower Seeds (native to your area)

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Water

Instructions: 1. Spread out the clay to be large enough to pour the compost on it. 2. Pour the compost on the clay and then pour the seeds on top of it. 3. Sprinkle a few drops of water on top of the seeds. 4. Fold together and knead until the mixture is thoroughly mixed together. 5. Roll into a ball and allow it to dry in the sun. 6. Now it is time to “throw and grow”! *Spring is the best time to toss your throw and grows into your yard or an approved location. Try to time it before a heavy rainfall in order to help the seeds germinate.

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Soil and Water Stewardship Nutrient pollution is a major threat to water quality in Illinois. State and local efforts over the decades to control nutrients have yielded positive results, but new strategies are needed to improve the effectiveness of existing water quality programs and secure the long-term health of water bodies in Illinois and throughout the Mississippi River Basin. What is nutrient pollution? Plants and animals need nitrogen and phosphorus to survive. But when too much of either is carried in runoff from city streets and farm fields or flows out of wastewater treatment plants, it can fuel algae blooms that decrease oxygen needed by aquatic plants and animals. In the Gulf of Mexico, nutrients washed down by the Mississippi River have created a ‘dead zone’ that covers thousands of square miles. Nutrient loss and runoff is a major threat to water quality in Illinois. State and local efforts over the decades to control nutrients have yielded positive results, but new and expanded strategies are needed to secure the future health of our water throughout Illinois and the Mississippi River Basin. What is Illinois doing to address the problem? To help protect local streams and the Gulf, Illinois and 11 other states in the Mississippi River Basin have pledged to develop strategies to reduce the nutrient loads leaving their borders. These strategies are part of a national plan developed by the Mississippi River, Gulf of Mexico Watershed Nutrient Task Force to reduce the size of the Gulf of Mexico hypoxic zone. The Illinois Nutrient Loss Reduction Strategy (Illinois NLRS or the strategy) is a framework for using science, technology, and industry experience to assess and reduce nutrient loss to Illinois waters and the Gulf of Mexico. The strategy builds on existing efforts by state and local governments, as well as non-profits and industry, to protect and restore Illinois waterways.

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Soil and Water Stewardship What does the strategy call for? The Illinois Nutrient Loss Reduction Strategy lays out a comprehensive suite of best management practices for reducing loads from wastewater treatment plants and urban and agricultural runoff. Recommended activities target the state’s most critical watersheds and are based on the latest science and best-available technologies. Along with water quality standards currently being developed, these practices will help the state achieve its ultimate goal of reducing phosphorus and nitrate loads by 45 percent. The strategy also calls for more collaboration among state and federal agencies, cities, non-profits, and technical experts on issues like water quality monitoring programs, funding, and nutrient reduction outreach.

Priority Watersheds        

Evergreen Lake Watershed Lake Bloomington Watershed Lake Decatur Watershed Lake Mauvaise Terre Watershed Lake Springfield Watershed Lake Vermilion Watershed Salt Fork Vermilion River Watershed (Wabash Basin) Vermilion River Watershed (Illinois River Basin)

Best Management Practices 

Nitrogen Management: N-WATCH soil testing is an engagement tool that helps farmers understand the movement of nitrogen in their soil. Cooperators will engage in pre- and post-N-WATCH surveys, which will show changes in nutrient availability which can inform effectiveness of best management practices.

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Cover Crops: Cover crops can reduce soil compaction, help reduce soil erosion and eliminate field run off.

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Reduced Tillage: Reduced tillage practices that also leave last year’s crop residue on the soil surface have many benefits, including:  The remaining ground cover prevents soil erosion and protects water quality  Residue improves soil tilth and adds organic matter to the soil as it decomposes  Fewer trips and less tillage reduces soil compaction  Time, energy and labor savings are possible with fewer tillage trips

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Buffers: Conservation buffers are strips of permanent vegetation that are meant to intercept nutrients and sediment carried by surface water. They do that by slowing down surface water and allowing plants to take up and use the water and nutrients. Buffer strips in agricultural fields can help mitigate water pollution by keeping nutrients, sediments, and pesticides in the field. Buffers also make great wildlife habitat and help protect biodiversity.

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Soil and Water Stewardship Best Management Practices (cont’d) 

Saturated Buffers: A conservation drainage practice called a saturated buffer removes nitrates from subsurface drainage water at low cost – without affecting farm field drainage. Instead of water flowing through your tile straight to an outflow point, water is directed to a lateral tile which runs parallel to a ditch. A grass buffer is created at the edge of the field above this lateral tile, which takes up the water and nutrients in the water, before it leaves the field. Buffers also provide wildlife habitat, sequester carbon, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, stabilize stream banks and potentially reduce flood impacts.

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Bioreactors: Bioreactors are subsurface trenches filled with a carbon source, mainly wood chips, through which water is allowed to flow just before leaving a field to enter a surface water body. The carbon source in the trench serves as a substrate for bacteria that break down the nitrate through denitrification. The many advantages of bioreactors include:      

They use proven technology They require no modification of current practices No land needs to be taken out of production There is no decrease in drainage effectiveness They require little or no maintenance They last for roughly 10 years

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Wetlands: A wetland is a marsh-type area with saturated soils and water-loving plants. Wetlands can be constructed for the purpose of removing nutrients because they filter nutrients, chemicals, and sediment from runoff or tile water before water moves off of a farm field and into streams and rivers. Because wetlands slow overland flow and store runoff water, they reduce both soil erosion and flooding downstream. Many wetlands release water slowly into the ground which recharges groundwater supplies.

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Drainage Water Management: In tile drained agricultural fields, water management is of the utmost importance. Drainage Water Management, or DWM, helps producers manage water through a drainage control structure. This structure allows for the analysis and budgeting of surface and subsurface water to increase production, decrease risk, and maximize nutrient uptake by your crop.

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Perennial/Energy Crops: Perennial crops are crops that live for years and can be harvested many times before they die. Plants such as apples and alfalfa are perennials that are commercially grown and harvested, as are biofuel crops such as miscanthus and switchgrass. Perennial crops have been shown to reduce nutrient losses.

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Soil and Water Stewardship What Illinois Farmers Are Doing When Illinois set out to develop the Nutrient Loss Reduction Strategy, agricultural leaders understood that there would not be a “one size fits all” solution for nutrient loss in the state. Nutrient issues vary based on soils, topography, and drainage. A Conservation Story Map The goal of Illinois' Conservation Story Map is to show how farmers in Illinois work to keep nutrients in the field for their crops, and not lose them to our streams and waterways. It will help Illinois farmers – and the government agencies and conservation organizations that work with them – to share the best management practices they use on extremely diverse conditions across Illinois. Farmers can zoom in to their area and learn about practices their neighbors are using that might also work for them. Available programs and cost-share opportunities will appear by watershed, with links to external sites for more information. From stewardship principles passed down through the generations, to the latest technological advances, these stories will give you a sense of the many ways farmers in Illinois are tackling nutrient management, implementing conservation practices, and preserving Illinois’ agricultural legacy.

Access the interactive Conservation Story Map by going to the Illinois Council on Best Management 14

Wad-A-Watershed Directions: 1. Share background information with students. 2. Have a student crumple up the waxed/butcher paper to make a 3D topography, complete with hills and valleys, that is to be placed in the large, clear plastic tub. 3. Gently straighten out the paper leaving the “topography” and place it in the tub. 4. Block the tub up so that one end is higher than the other. 5. Explain to students that we all live in a watershed. Have the students hypothesize about the movement of the water and what causes it to move from high to low points. 6. Have one student spray colored water on the high points or “divides” of the watershed. Encourage the students to notice the flow of the water and where the water pools and collects. 7. Have students generate a list of water use activities that happen in their local watershed. These may also include natural events, such as flooding, drought, mudslides, and fire – examples are included below. Students may determine how these uses affect local water quality and quantity. Further, they may also determine best management practices or what changes in these activities could help protect the water in the watershed. Agriculture Crops Animals Golf Course Horticulture Crops

Household Individual Homes: drinking, bathing, washing car Housing Complexes Waste Water Treatment Systems Lawns & Gardens

Industrial Factories School Storage Units Warehouses Parking Lots Gas Station Shopping Mall Offices

Recreation Parks Meadows Woodlands Swamp Lands Camping Areas Bike Paths Swimming Areas Boating Areas Softball Diamond Football Fields

8. Have students list possible contaminants that irresponsible land use could contribute to the watershed. Determine if the pollution is point source (direct pollution) or nonpoint source pollution (non-direct pollution). 9. Discuss activity and answer conclusion questions.

Adapted from Kansas AITC 15

Wad-A-Watershed Conclusion Questions (Assessments): 1. What is a watershed? The land that water flows across or under on its way to a stream, river, or lake. 2. What force of nature causes the water to flow in a watershed? Gravity 3. What is the difference between point source pollution and nonpoint source pollution? Point source pollution is water pollution from an activity originating from an identifiable source. Nonpoint source pollution is water pollution from sources not easily identified or located. 4. What are ways to reduce pollution in a watershed? Answers will vary Lesson Extender:  To make the point that many land uses affect the water (both quantity and quality) in the watershed, have the students shake on “pollutants” of the water shed. For example, orange Kool-Aid powder could be excess fertilizer on the golf course. Purple Kool-Aid could be a local dump site. Chocolate sprinkles could represent dog poo at the local dog park, and cocoa powder may be the soil moved during construction in a new housing development that is unprotected. Have the student spray colored water over these “pollutants” and have the students note the flow of the pollutants into the pools and collection areas. Discuss who is affected by these pollutants, and discuss best management practices that protect the water. Complementary Activities:  Don’t Use It All Up—Demonstrate the demands on our water supply using water and sponges. Brainstorm all the ways your students use water on a daily basis. After the demonstration, discuss water conservation techniques and what your students can do to protect and conserve water.  Find this activity in the Water Resource Guide: http://www.agintheclassroom.org/ TeacherResources/Lesson%20Booklets/Water-final.pdf 

Drop in the Bucket—How much fresh water is available on Earth for human use? Use this demonstration to show students the limited supply of fresh water and then discuss the importance of protecting and conserving water.  Find this activity in the Water Resource Guide: http://www.agintheclassroom.org/ TeacherResources/Lesson%20Booklets/Water-final.pdf

Adapted from Kansas AITC 16

Build a Bioreactor Objective: Through the design and engineering of a bioreactor, students will learn how effective bioreactors can be at preventing nutrients from entering the water system. Common Core State Standards: CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.4.1; SL.4.4, RI.4.10 Next Generation Science Standards: Engineering Design: 3-5-ETS1 Earth’s Systems: 4-ESS2-1 From Molecules to Organisms: MS-LS1-5 Materials:  Shallow aluminum tray with lid  Water  Glitter  Mulch  Knife Directions: 1. Review the importance of nutrient loss reduction strategies. For more information go to http://www.illinoiscbmp.org/. 2. Set the aluminum pan into the upside down lid, propping one end up on the lip of the lid. At the low end of the aluminum pan, carefully cut a few slits. Water will drain down the aluminum pan and through the slits into the lid. 3. Mix a tablespoon of glitter in two cups of water. 4. Pour the glitter water into the empty pan. As the glitter water drains into the lid below, make observations about the amount of glitter left in the water. Then clean the pan and lid. 5. Make the glitter-water mixture again. This time, add mulch into the pan before pouring the water. Observe the amount of glitter that made it into the lid. 6. Discuss together how the model represents a bioreactor. The glitter is like nutrients. The mulch in a real bioreactor attracts the nutrients to it and prevents it from draining into the water system, just like it did with the glitter. 7. Discuss what other materials might work in a bioreactor. What other benefits does using mulch provide to farmers? Lesson Extender:  Using a set of other materials (aquarium rocks, tissue paper, pipe cleaners… etc.), have the students design their own system for filtering out nutrients (glitter) from water. Then have them present the pros and cons of using their design at full scale.

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Garden in a Glove Objective: The students will learn what seeds need to germinate and will observe how different seeds turn into the plants that we eat. Common Core State Standards: CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.K.9; RL.K.10; RI.K.9; RI.K.10; W.K.3; W.K.7; W.K.8; SL.K.3 Next Generation Science Standards: From Molecules to Organisms: Structures and Process: K-LS1-1 Earth and Human Activity: K-ESS3-1 Materials:  Clear Plastic Glove 

5 Cotton Balls

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5 Types of Seeds

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Pencil

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Water

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Yarn

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Marker

Directions: 1. Write your name on a clear plastic glove. Food service gloves work well. 2. Label each finger of the glove with the type of seed you will be planting. (note: with younger children, it may be easier to plant each finger with the same type of seed—all carrot or all lettuce—to avoid mixing of seeds)

3. Wet five cotton balls and wring them out. 4. Dip each cotton ball in a different type of seed. 5. Put each cotton ball with the seeds attached into each finger of the glove. (hint: you may have to use a pencil to get the cotton ball all the way to the tips of the glove fingers) 6. Blow a little air into the glove and then tie it closed at the top with a piece of yarn. 7. Tape the glove to a window, chalkboard, or wall. You may want to hang a clothes line under a chalk tray and use clothes pins to hold the gloves on. 8. The seeds will germinate in 3 to 5 days. Transplant the seeds at about 1 1/2 to 2 weeks by cutting the tips of the fingers off the glove. Transplant the small plants, cotton ball and all, into soil or sphagnum moss. 9. Keep a plant growth journal.

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Apple Chain Objective: This activity is designed to help students in sequencing and building models as well as help them understand the life cycle of an apple. Common Core State Standards: CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.4.3; W.4.2 CCSS.Math.Content.4.MD.2 Next Generation Science Standards: Animals, Plants & their Environment: K-LS1-1 Weather & Climate: 3-ESS2-1 Life Cycles & Traits: 3-LS1-1; 3-LS3-1 Materials:  Red Paper Plates  Stapler  Yarn  Hole punch  Colored construction paper  Templates available on our website—www.agintheclassroom.org Directions: 1. Print each template on construction paper:  seed (brown)  tree (green)  blossom (pink)  bee (yellow)  little apple (green) 2. Punch a hole on each side of the items you made with construction paper. The seed needs a hole on one side only. 3. Staple two red paper plates together around 2/3 of the edge. Leave the other 1/3 open. 4. Tape a piece of yarn to the inside of the stapled paper plates and extend the yarn out of the opening. 5. Add a stem to the red paper plates to make them look like an apple. 6. Tie the little green apple to the yarn coming out of the apple. Tie the bee to the little green apple. Tie the blossom to the bee. Tie the tree to the blossom. Tie the seed to the tree. These should all form a chain. 7. Tuck the green apple, bee, blossom, tree, and seed into the apple. Starting with the seed, slowly pull the shapes out of the apple and tell the story of how apples grow.

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Build a Calf Objective: Students will explore genes and heredity using beef cattle as an example. Common Core State Standards: CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.6.1 Next Generation Science Standards: Heredity: Inheritance and Variation of Traits: MS-LS3-2 Biological Evolution: Unity and Diversity: MS-LS4-4-6

Materials:  Genes worksheet  Calf coloring page  A coin to flip (1 for each student or group of students)  Breed pictures Vocabulary:  Dam — female parent  Sire — male parent  Trait – a genetically determined characteristic  Gene – a unit of heredity that is transferred from a parent to offspring and is held to determine some characteristic of the offspring.  Inherit – derive a quality or characteristic genetically from one’s parent or ancestors  Heredity – the passing on of physical or mental characteristics genetically from one generation to another  Dominant – a trait that can be expressed when just one copy of the gene is present  Recessive – a trait that can be expressed only when two copies of the gene are present  Hereford – an English breed of beef cattle with a red body and white face and stomach  Angus – a Scottish breed of beef cattle known for their good meat quality  Linked genes – genes that are inherited together or do not assort independently  Phenotype – physical features of an animal  Allele — any of several forms of a gene, usually arising through mutation, that are responsible for hereditary variation  Homozygous — having identical pairs of genes for any given pair of hereditary characteristics  Heterozygous — having dissimilar pairs of genes for any hereditary characteristic  Crossbred — to produce a hybrid animal or plant by breeding two animals or two plants of different species or varieties

Adapted from Iowa Ag Literacy Foundation 20

Build a Calf Directions: 1. Break students into groups of no more than four. Every group will need a game set, including a dice or coin, breed pictures, and a copy of the genes worksheet. Each student should also receive their own copy of instructions and a calf color page. 2. Have the students read the instructions to themselves, and then work in groups to play the game.  Students should flip the coin to determine if the dominant or recessive allele is being passed on from the dam. If the coin lands heads up, the dominant gene is passed on. If the coin lands heads down, the recessive gene is passed on. Students should record the gene they landed upon on their gene worksheet, and then flip again to see if the dominant or recessive allele is being passed on from the sire. Once they have determined the allele from each parent, they should select the correct homozygous or heterozygous pairing on the gene worksheet.  Repeat this process for all the traits represented.  Then, color in the calf on the calf color page to reflect the genes passed on from the parents to the offspring.  Have students compare their offspring to the breed pictures. Does their calf look more like an Angus or a Hereford? Does it look like a crossbred? What genes determined that?  In their groups, have students calculate the percent of animals that look like Herefords, Angus or crossbreds. Is there an even number of each? Why or why not? 3. As a group, have students discuss:  What are some objectives of farmers or ranchers selectively breeding cattle? Which traits might they want to select for or against? How does this effect the consumer?  How do genetics relate to the efficiency of the animal? How does that affect consumers?  If an animal lives in an arid desert, which traits might you select for? What might help your animal be more successful in that environment?  Do the traits we played the game for directly affect the animal’s use for consumers? What are some traits that might? Is there a way to select for traits that would focus on nutrition or healthfulness?  Are beef producers the only farmers that need to worry about genetics? Are there traits in crops or other livestock that are affected by heredity? What might some of those be? Lesson Extender:  Have students brainstorm traits to add to the list. Some could include: muscle, bone, head color, hair length, hoof size, etc.  Identify examples of how the knowledge of inherited traits is applied to farmed plants and animals in order to meet specific objectives (i.e., increased yields, better nutrition, etc.)  Provide examples of science being applied in farming for food, clothing and shelter products.

Adapted from Iowa Ag Literacy Foundation 21

Build a Calf Flip the coin to determine what genes your offspring will carry. Match the genetic traits each parent will pass on to his/her offspring by recording the uppercase or lowercase letter in your chart at the bottom of this page. Mother’s Traits

Father’s Traits Heads (Dominant)

Female/Male

X = female

Polled/Horned P = polled

Tails (Recessive)

Heads (Dominant)

X

Female/Male

p

X

Tails (Recessive)

Y = male

Polled/Horned P

p

Black Coat/ Red Coat

B = black

b

Black Coat/ Red Coat

B

b

Solid Coat/ Spotted Coat

S = solid

s

Solid Coat/ Spotted Coat

S

s

Sample

Mother’s Trait

Father’s Trait

B

b

Circle Appropriate Trait Combination BB

Bb

Female

Male

XX

XY

Polled

Polled

Horned

PP

Pp

pp

Black Coat/

Black Coat

Black Coat

Red Coat

Red Coat

BB

Bb

bb

Solid Coat/

Solid Coat

Solid Coat

Spotted Coat

Spotted Coat

SS

Ss

ss

Female/Male

Polled/Horned

bb

Adapted from Iowa Ag Literacy Foundation 22

Build a Calf

Angus

Hereford

Angus-Hereford Crossbred (Black Baldy)

Adapted from Iowa Ag Literacy Foundation 23

Build a Calf My calf is a

. (Breed)

Adapted from Iowa Ag Literacy Foundation 24

Wheat Milling Common Core State Standards: CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.4.3; RI.4.4; RI.4.5; RF.4.3a Next Generation Science Standards: Interdependent Relationships in Ecosystems: 3-LS4-3; 3-LS4-4 Structure, Function and Information Processing: 4-LS1-1 Materials:  Wheat Stalks  Salt or Pepper Grinder Directions: 1. Show students wheat stalks. 2. Go over the parts of the wheat stalk with the students so they can understand the directions for dissection.  Stalk—the entire plant.  Head—the part of the wheat plant that contains the kernels.  Beard—the bristle-like parts of the wheat plant that cover and protect the kernels.  Kernel—the seed from which the wheat plant is grown or that people harvest from the wheat plant to grind into flour.  Stem/Straw—the part of the wheat plant that supports the head and is known as straw after harvest. 3. Dissect the wheat using the following steps:  Hand out stalks of wheat to the students.  Break the head off the stem.  Make a straw out of the stem by breaking it to avoid the nodes.  Lay the wheat head flat on a hard surface and pat with your hand to shake out the kernels.  Have the students count their kernels. 4. Put the kernels of wheat into a salt or pepper grinder and have the students mill their wheat into flour. What simple machines are being used? 5. Talk about different ways to grind wheat. The Native Americans did it using rocks, etc. Have students design their own method of grinding wheat and then test their machines. 6. Talk about the uses of wheat flour to make pastas, breads, desserts, etc. Lesson Extender:  Ask students to count how many kernels they removed from the head of their wheat plant. Record each number on the board. Have students find the mean, median, mode and range of the set of numbers.  Have students find the gluten in wheat by chewing the kernels. Before there was chewing gum in the store, farmers made their own with grains of wheat! Complementary Activity:  Find the Gluten—Separate the gluten and starch in a frozen dinner roll by kneading the dough in water.  Find this activity on our website under Interest Approaches: http://www.agintheclassroom.org/ TeacherResources/InterestApproaches/Find%20the%20Gluten.pdf

Adapted from Wheat mAGic Kit 25

Role Reading Objective: The students will develop close reading techniques. They will be able to identify different elements of literature, including setting and characters, while creating thoughtful responses to the text. Common Core State Standards: ELA-Literacy: RL.8.1; RL.8.2; RL.8.3; RL.8.4; RL.8.6 Materials:  Book or printed passages  Colored sticky notes or highlighters Directions: 1. Select a passage from a text to read. 2. Split the students into groups. 3. Assign one student from each group to take on each of the following roles while reading:

Setting 



Character

Reader Reaction

Explicit detail about the  time or location

A new character is introduced

Detail about what is  going on in the world beyond the characters’ lives 

A character’s physical feature is described for  the first time



The setting’s effect on the characters’ lives



Background knowledge—What do you know about this time or place that is relevant?





A detail about the character’s background  that might affect the way he or she thinks, acts of feels Insight into the character’s thoughts about the place he or she lives



Surprise: you were not expecting that to happen! Prediction: You think you know what is coming next. Connection: You have been there, done that, thought that, or felt that. Agree/Disagree: You believe the thoughts or actions of the character are right or wrong.

Writing Craft 

Metaphors or similes



Shifts in timeline (Flashbacks or flashforwards)



Change in perspective



Symbolism, and what it could mean.



The author is trying to tell you something between the lines.

4. Have the students read individually or as a group. While reading, each student should make note of the details or discussion points for which their role is responsible (in each list above). 5. After reading, in their groups, have the students discuss what they read. Encourage them to share the notes they took, or the lines they highlighted in order to contribute thoroughly to the discussion. 6. For the next passage, rotate the roles within the group.

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