Welcome Back to School!
The Colorado Foundation for Agriculture extends a hearty "Welcome Back" to all of Colorado's teachers and students as a new school year begins. We know this year is unlike any other and no matter your learning scenario - in-person, virtual, or hybrid - we have many great Colorado Agriculture in the Classroom programs and resources to assist you!
We wish all the best for the new school year!
-Jennifer Scharpe, CFA executive director
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"Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world."
- Nelson Mandela
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Colorado Kids are Invited to the 2020 Virtual State Fair Day Camp
The Colorado State Fair is calling all kids to head to the 2020 State Fair Day Camp--from the safety of their own homes. The virtual, first-ever State Fair camp will be held on four afternoons from Monday, August 31 through Thursday, September 3, beginning at 3:30 p.m. each day.
The program is designed for students in grades 3-5, and younger children are welcome to participate with older family members. The content-rich, fair-themed programming will feature animals and visits from Colorado Parks and Wildlife, fun activities from entertainers Circus Imagination, youth ag education with Colorado State University students and the Colorado Foundation for Agriculture, fair food demonstrations with chef Jason Morse, and much more.
The virtual camp is free and will be livestreamed on the Colorado State Fair website each afternoon. The sessions will also be recorded for future viewing and accessible on the website. After completing the sessions, campers will have the opportunity to apply to become a Junior Colorado State Fair Ambassador at the 2021 State Fair. Selected Junior Ambassadors will receive a care package with credentials, a pass to the 2021 Colorado State Fair, ambassador certificate, and other treats.
The theme of the 2020 Colorado State Fair is “A Walk on The Wild Side,” and will take place August 28-September 7. FAQs related to this summer’s modified State Fair can be found here. Additionally, visit the Colorado State Fair website, Facebook page @colostatefair, or call 719-561-8484 for the latest updates and information.
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Subscribe to the Colorado Reader
New virtual learning version coming this year!
The Colorado Reader is a FREE educational resource - available in print and online - and starting new this year is a virtual learning version!
The Colorado Reader is a student activity newspaper geared towards upper elementary students, however educators in middle and high school levels have also used the Readers with their students. The Colorado Academic Standards (4th and 5th grades) reinforced with each Reader are identified. The topics of the Colorado Reader typically align with science, social studies, health, and language arts.
We have at least these five issues planned for the 2020-2021 school year:
- Corn: Food, Feed, and Fuel
- Livestock Protect Our Environment
- Renewable Energy
- Colorado Beef
- Understanding Water
Print version - The print version of the Colorado Reader is directly mailed to you for free. It is packaged in classroom sets of 30 and accompanied by an educator’s guide. Use this version in class or send with student homework/enrichment packets to assist with at-home learning. Hard copies of all available previous issues may be ordered through the CFA Online Store.
Online version - All of the Colorado Readers are kept in the CFA Digital Library. Students can access, read, download, and print pages directly from their web browser, free of charge.
Virtual version - It is our plan to make the Colorado Reader available on multiple virtual learning platforms. If there is a specific platform that you are using, please email Jennifer Scharpe so that we may try to accommodate your needs.
For new and current subscribers, we ask that you complete the Colorado Reader Subscription form for the 2020-2021 school year. Subscribing or unsubscribing each school year helps keep our mailing list current.
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August Featured Resources |
Check out these lesson plans and resources from the National Agriculture Curriculum Matrix.
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Journey 2050 Webinar Covering Game, Lessons on August 26
Journey 2050 is a free, online program on world food sustainability that includes a virtual simulation game. Designed for grades 7-12, the game created by Nutrien, Ltd., provides students with an opportunity to consider the question: “How will we sustainably feed nearly 10 billion people by the year 2050?”
Topics covered by the game and related lessons are sustainability, plant and soil health, water, economy, land use, culture, careers, and new technology. Journey 2050 middle school lessons, high school lessons and eLearning modules are available that meet NGSS standards, and are designed for use in the classroom or online.
Interested in learning more? Join us for a free webinar August 26 at 3:00 PM-4:00 PM Eastern Time to learn how to play the game and use the lessons.
Registration is required to receive the Zoom link to participate in the webinar. Sign up for the webinar HERE.
Questions about the webinar or Journey 2050? Email programs@naitco.org. Journey 2050 is a STEM program that engages students in grades 7-12 in discussions about feeding the world. Lesson plans are provided. NEW resources tied to the educational gaming platform include a lesson on technology and innovations in agriculture, and a project-based-learning-focused summary. Students virtually farm and build a career avatar. Download Journey2050 from the App Store before the webinar if possible.
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Applications Open for CFA Outstanding AITC Teacher Award
The Colorado Foundation for Agriculture is pleased to open applications for its Outstanding Agriculture in the Classroom Teacher Award. The purpose of this award is to recognize a Colorado educator for his or her efforts to teach students about the importance of agriculture.
The award is open to any Colorado teacher currently engaged in teaching at the preK-12 grade levels. The award will be given based on the teacher’s creative efforts to integrate agriculture into his or her instruction and curricula to increase agricultural literacy. An agriculturally literate person is defined as “one who understands and can communicate the source and value of agriculture as it affects our quality of life.”
District certified teachers that are currently engaged in integrating agricultural concepts into non-agricultural education settings at the preK-12 grade levels are eligible. Applications may be from an individual or a team of teachers working together. Middle and high school agricultural educators are not eligible for this award.
The winning Colorado teacher will receive a $500 monetary award and have up to $1,500 of his or her related expenses paid to attend the National Agriculture in the Classroom (NAITC) Conference June 28-July 1, 2021. Please refer to the application for further eligibility and award information.
The deadline for application submission is November 2, 2020. The application may be found using the links below or contact Jennifer Scharpe, Colorado Foundation for Agriculture executive director at Info@GrowingYourFuture.com or 970-818-3308.
2021 CFA Outstanding AITC Award Application
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We're Hiring - Agricultural Literacy Internship Position
The Colorado Foundation for Agriculture is currently seeking a qualified individual to fill a part-time, paid, hands-on role of agricultural literacy intern. The primary responsibilities will be focused on developing and implementing new virtual programming. Upon completion of this internship, the intern should have a vast and diverse portfolio of professional work to assist in gaining future employment.
The time frame for this internship is September through December 2020, with the possibility of extending longer (Spring and Summer of 2021) based on performance, availability, and funding.
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PreK-12th Grade eLearning Lessons
When the spread of the coronavirus led to social distancing and school closures, NAITC and the National Center for Agricultural Literacy (NCAL) at Utah State University recognized the need to act quickly. Although the NAITC website already had hundreds of lessons and activities available in a searchable database called the National Agricultural Literacy Curriculum Matrix, the resources were developed for teachers to use in the classroom.
The NCAL team began revising lessons to make them easy for students, parents, or teachers directing instruction online. The lessons are formatted in Google Docs to help teachers easily fold the lessons into their virtual platforms. Some lessons even have YouTube tutorials to guide students through the lesson or answer questions.
The result: An eLearning page available online, free of charge, and without a need to set up an account. To access the preK-12 lessons and activities, please visit NAITC eLearning. Thank you to sponsors Corteva Agriscience, Del Monte Foods, and Pivot Bio for their support of the NAITC/NCAL eLearning project.
Search and follow #agbyte on social media to see the archive of resources and stay up to date on new ones being developed.
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More Distance Learning Resources
We have compiled a list of some of the best FREE virtual learning opportunities that use agriculture or natural resource topics as a theme to help teach common core subjects. These resources are from the Colorado Agriculture in the Classroom program, the National Agriculture in the Classroom Organization, and other Agriculture in the Classroom programs across the country, as well as from partnering organizations. All resources have been fully vetted. The list has been divided into four categories:
- Educational Videos & Virtual Field Trips
- Online Learning Resources
- Movies and TV Series
- eLearning Lessons
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Ways you can support Colorado Agriculture in the Classroom |
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Link your King Soopers/City Market loyalty card and support the Colorado Foundation for Agriculture every time you shop. Visit the King Soopers Community Rewards page to sign up for this free program. |
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Colorado Gives Day is Tuesday, December 8, 2020.
Consider participating in this annual day of giving by making a contribution to the Colorado Foundation for Agriculture. You may set up your gift at any time through the Community First Foundation.
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You Shop. Amazon Gives. Every time you shop, AmazonSmile donates to the Colorado Foundation for Agriculture. |
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It is through the generous support from our sponsors and donors that the Colorado Foundation for Agriculture has been able to continue and shift operations and programs, even during these unprecedented circumstances. Gifts, of any dollar amount, are still needed to ensure we are geared up for the 2020-2021 school year, be it virtual or face-to-face instruction. Make your contribution today at https://bit.ly/givecfa.
A special thank you to the sponsors listed below who have contributed $4,000 or more during the 2019-2020 fiscal year. To view the entire list of sponsors, visit our sponsor page.
Giving is not just about making a donation.
It's about making a difference!
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Colorado Foundation for Agriculture | 970-818-3308 | GrowingYourFuture.com |
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10343 Federal Blvd Unit J Box 224, Westminster, CO 80260 |
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