Check out what is going on at NHAITC!
NHAITC Teacher of the Year Award

Do you or a coworker integrate agriculture into your classroom?  Here  is an o pportunity to recognize an outstanding New Hampshire elementary or s econdary school teacher who uses agricultural education materials and/or  activities in the classroom to teach core subjects. 
 
The winner will be recognized in the spring at the Granite State Association of FFA Convention and will be submitted to National Agriculture in the Classroom to be considered for the Excellence in Teaching Award. Winners may also be considered for a registration scholarship at the 2018 National Agriculture in the Classroom Conference in Portland, ME.                 
Applications are due November 6, 2017 .     
Tucker Mountain Challenge 

The application process for the Tucker Mountain C ha llenge (formerly the Felker Award Classroom Contest) is now open!   The name of the competition has been changed to r ecognize Eric Johnson of Tucker Mountain Maple, an avid and inspiring maple producer from Andover, NH who had been battling ALS.

The contest remains the same - submit a completed application by 1/15/18 which includes a detailed plan for your maple syrup production and then by 4/15/18, provide a quart of classroom produced maple syrup.  Entries which qualify as maple syrup through density testing will be part of a public taste testing in May.  The class which produces the  best tasting maple syrup receives $2,000 from the NH Maple Producers Association (NHMPA)! The Tucker Mountain Challenge is a fantastic hands-on and engaging project for bringing together all of the educational principles involved in the maple syrup production process. 

If you would like to be matched with a mentor to help with the application and production process, please contact  Bruc e Tre at from the NHMPA.

              contest information                 contest application
Maple Resources

TAPPING INTO MAPLE TRADITION
Check out the Tapping Into Maple Tradition resources on our  website.  You will find a number of K-12 lessons for a variety of academic areas along with videos and a poster.  Select the components that will best support your classroom activities.


MAPLE EQUIPMENT GRANTS
New this year, NHAITC is offering 5 competitive maple equipment grants valued at $200 each.  You have a  choice of two options for the grant.  The tapping equipment package includes 10 buckets, 10 covers, 10 taps, a hydrometer, hydrometer cup, a grading kit and the "North American Maple Producers Manual".  Or you can request $200 towards building your own evaporator from either a 55 gallon metal drum or concrete blocks.  Grants are open to any K-12 classroom, but grant recipients must participate in the 2018 Tucker Mountain Challenge.  Applications are due 12/15/17 and will be awarded by 12/31/17.          grant information          grant application


Teacher Workshops

NHAITC recently had the opportunity to work with several groups of teachers.  Both the NEA-NH Conference and the NH Science Teachers Association Conference included us in their line-up of workshops.  Teachers around the state learned about the importance of integrating agriculture into their core academic curriculum, explored a variety of resources, tried some activities and discussed school gardens. During a maple syrup tasting, they were able to chat with Bruce Treat from the NH Maple Producers Association about sugar molecules, land use, economics of the maple trade and more.  Contact us about offering workshops at your conference or school professional development sessions.
CLASSROOM CONNECTION                NHAITC OUT & ABOUT

Students will investigate the life cycle and decomposition of pumpkins.

A Rafter of Turkeys                grades 3-5
Students will learn about the domestication and life cycle of the turkey, recognize how turkeys are raised on farms, and identify turkey products.

grades 3-5       Students will learn a variety of subjects including history, science, nutrition, and math through the study of pumpkins. Activities include estimating the size and weight of pumpkins, sprouting pumpkin seeds, and making pumpkin pie in a bag.

grades 6-8        In this lesson students will identify common Thanksgiving foods and their farm source, determine if those foods can be produced locally, and locate the common origins of their Thanksgiving day dinner.

NH School Garden website features garden-based lessons, tips from Master Gardeners, grant possibilities and more.

Agricultural Literacy Curriculum Matrix is   an online, searchable, and standards-based curriculum map for K-12 teachers.  The Matrix contextualizes national education standards in science, social studies, and nutrition education with relevant instructional resources linked to Common Core Standards.

NH Farm Bureau Annual Meeting
November 10, 2017
Keene, NH

Farm & Forest Expo
The Radisson in Manchester
Feb 2nd & 3rd, 2018

Plan ahead: the National Agriculture in the Classroom Conference  will be in Portland, Maine!
June 26-29, 2018

CLASSROOM SUPPORT

Provided to NH schools to provide hands-on, experiential, outdoor field trip opportunities. These trips should be educational, but could be to a range of locations (nature center, museum, state park, mountain) and must include an outdoor, experiential component. Grant money can be used to cover transportation costs and/or student entry or program fees when applicable. Grants expected to be in the range of $200-$500.  Applications are due 12/1/17.

NHAITC has free seeds available for classroom projects.  They are a year old, but should germinate just fine.  Please email requests to  nhaitc@nhfarmbureau.org.
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SUPPORT

 NHAITC

     Debbi Cox, State Coordinator              nhaitc@nhfarmbureau.org           (603) 224-1934 
     Deb Robie, Grafton County Coordinator                wehunt4@myfairpoint.net