Strawberries

Learn more about strawberries these ag-tivities!

McLean County (IL) teachers can request FREE ag mags and activity kits for their classroom: Click here

Reading Materials:

Ag-tivities:

Books to Read –  Contact us to check out books from our McLean AITC library!

Videos

USDA Future Scientists Program

Free after-school program at the Normal Theater featuring Dr. Craig Wilson, the Director of the USDA Future Scientists Program. This interactive presentation about the exciting world of science and agriculture is sure to inspire students to want to learn more about how science and agriculture intersect in amazing ways every day.

The presentation is free to attend, but reservations are required.

Register here

2022 Summer AITC Teacher Workshop

Join us June 6-9 for our 2022 Summer AITC Workshop for Teachers!

  • 4 Days of field trips, tours & hands on lesson ideas
  • Geared for pre-K to grade 12 educators
  • Earn 30 PDCHs (professional development clock hours), plus 2 graduate level college credit hours available (optional/additional fee)
  • Learn about FREE resources for STEM lessons aligned with Common Core & Next Generation Science Standards
  • Take home lesson ideas, materials & grant opportunities for use in your classroom next year!

Cost is $50 for the workshop.

Tuition for 2 hours of Graduate Credit from St. Francis University is $200

(Course #REAL 694 K Agriscience Educator Institute)

Instructors: Carrie Vogel, McLean County Ag in the Classroom Coordinator & Katie Buckley, University of Illinois Extension

Please note:

  • Teachers will be responsible for their own transportation to field trip/tour locations, you can arrange your own carpool if desired

Registration deadline May 31, 2022

Click here to register

Soil Your Undies Challenge

We soiled our undies for science!

The Soil Your Undies Challenge is a simple way to test soil biology/microbial activity.

Just bury a pair of 100% cotton underwear for 60 days and then dig it up to see how much has decomposed. If just the elastic remains you have healthy soil!

You can also bury 2 pairs in different spots and compare the results.

Find lesson and activity ideas to do your own Soil Your Undies Challenge here or more learning activities about soil here.

How does it work?

McLean County Ag in the Classroom sponsored a friendly competition among local FFA Chapters for the #SoilYourUndiesMcLeanCounty Challenge. Ag students buried 2 pairs of undies in 2 locations on their school grounds & then dug them up 60 days later.

Thanks to Olympia, Heyworth, Tri-Valley & Lexington FFA Chapters for participating! Check out the results of our experiments in the photos below.

Summer AITC Workshop

Join us June 8-11 for our 2021 Summer AITC Workshop for Teachers!

  • 4 Days of field trips, tours & hands on lesson ideas
  • Geared for pre-K to grade 12 educators
  • Earn 30 PDCHs (professional development clock hours), plus 2 graduate level college credit hours available (optional/additional fee)
  • Learn about FREE resources for STEM lessons aligned with Common Core & Next Generation Science Standards
  • Take home lesson ideas, materials & grant opportunities for use in your classroom next year!

Cost is $50 for the workshop.

Tuition for 2 hours of Graduate Credit from St. Francis University is $200

(Course #REAL 694 R Agriscience Educator Institute)

Instructors: Bridget Caldwell, McLean County Ag in the Classroom Coordinator & Katie Buckley, University of Illinois Extension

Please note:

  • Teachers will be responsible for their own transportation to field trip/tour locations, you can arrange your own carpool if desired
  • Masks & social distancing measures may be in place as per health department guidelines

Registration deadline May 28, 2021

Click here to register

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