Seed, Sprout, Spice - Sign up for 2024 Literacy Project; Thanksgiving Lessons from the Matrix; Season of Giving; and MORE!

Providing FREE agricultural literacy programs and resources for PreK-12 education.

11/15/2023

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In this Issue:

Applications Open for CoAITC Outstanding Teacher Award - Deadline Extended
Thanksgiving Themed Matrix Resources
Sign Up for the 2024 Literacy Project Featuring Pueblo Chile
Consider Colorado Agriculture in the Classroom this Giving Season
Other Ways to Give to CoAITC
Thank You, Sponsors!

Applications Open for CoAITC Outstanding Teacher Award - Deadline Extended to Nov. 30th

Are you a teacher or do you know of a teacher who educates students about food and agriculture? Or perhaps that teacher works with students in a school garden or has a creative approach for connecting students to their food, fiber, fuel, and natural resources?

Colorado Agriculture in the Classroom has opened applications for its Outstanding Teacher Award. The purpose of the award is to recognize Colorado educators who teach students about the importance of agriculture.

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 24-27, 2024 in Salt Lake City, Utah. Please refer to the application for further eligibility and award information.

The deadline for application submission has been extended to November 30, 2023. For more information, contact Jennifer Scharpe, Colorado Agriculture in the Classroom executive director at Info@coagclassroom.org or 970-818-3308.

2024 Application

Search the National Agriculture Curriculum Matrix for lesson plans and resources!

Matrix Featured Resources

Check out these lesson plans and resources from the National Agriculture Curriculum Matrix.

1. From Sap to Syrup (K-2)

2. Wild Rice (3-5)

3. The Quicker the Better? Food Processing (3-8)

4. The Geography of Thanksgiving Dinner (6-12)

5. The Year at Maple Hill Farm (Book)

6. Blue's the Clue (Store Kit)

Seed, Sprout, Spice! - Sign Up for the 2024 Literacy Project

The Colorado Literacy Project is a way to bring agriculture into the classroom while reinforcing reading comprehension and other academic standards. A new topic and book, featuring real-life Colorado agriculture stories, are chosen each year. This is a FREE program for preK-5th grade classes.

This is a read-aloud book program with supplementary student activities. Teachers may complete this program on their own with their students. Or they may request a farmer or rancher for an in-person or virtual guest reader classroom visit experience. Participating classes receive a free copy of the book, a program guide, lessons and student activities, and enough necessary supplies to complete activities with students.

The Literacy Project annually reaches 10,000+ students in 500+ classrooms across the state! Our goal this year is to increase the reach by 25%!

Teachers - Sign Up Today!

The project focus for 2024 is the Pueblo chile - a unique chile pepper variety vital to Colorado agriculture. A new book telling the story of Pueblo chile is in development. The planned student activities for the experience are a tasting of Pueblo chile and starting a chile plant from a seed, plus a virtual field trip with History Colorado collections division.

We anticipate books, educational resources, and classroom activity supplies will be ready to mail to schools around mid-January and the program will continue through the end of the school year or until supplies run out. Supplies tentatively limited to the first 600 classrooms to sign up.

Questions can be directed to Cyndi Hofmeister, CoAITC Education Program Coordinator.

The 2024 Literacy Project is sponsored by a Colorado Department of Agriculture/USDA Specialty Crop Block grant in partnership with the Colorado Fruit & Vegetable Growers Association and the Pueblo Chile Growers Association, and Pueblo Seed & Food Company, plus various individual donors.

Consider Colorado Agriculture in the Classroom this Giving Season!

Annually, Colorado Agriculture in the Classroom (CoAITC) reaches 325,000 students, teachers, individuals, and families across the state in urban, suburban, and rural communities. Our scope includes printed and electronic resources, in-person and virtual student presentations, teacher professional development, public events, and multiple communications and outreach efforts. Through partnerships from community stakeholders and funding from corporations, foundations, associations, and individuals, all CoAITC programs and resources are provided for free or at minimal cost.

During this giving season, please consider making a gift to Colorado Agriculture in the Classroom. The work we do would not be possible without our generous sponsors. You help make a difference for students and educators across Colorado!

Donate to Colorado Agriculture in the Classroom Today!

Other Ways to Give to CoAITC

Colorado Gives Day - December 5th

Give where you live! Colorado Gives Day has grown to be Colorado’s largest 24-hour giving event. Each December, Coloradans come together with the common goal to strengthen the community by helping to power nonprofits. Make your gift any time through Colorado Gives. Set a reminder for Colorado Gives Day on December 5, 2023!

**Help us raise more by partnering with us in the Colorado Gives Day Corporate Challenge and/or Match programs. Email Jennifer Scharpe, CoAITC executive director to learn more!**

Memorial and Honorarium Donations

Consider a memorial or honorarium donation to recognize a special person in your life. We will send an acknowledgement to the honoree or family member at your request. To make a memorial or honorarium donation, use this secure online giving form.

Give When You Shop

Link your King Soopers or City Market loyalty card and support the Colorado Foundation for Agriculture every time you shop. Visit the Kroger Community Rewards page to sign up for this free program.

Donate Your State Tax Return

Your income tax refund can give agricultural literacy education a big boost! Started in 2020, ReFUND Colorado is a program that allows Coloradans to donate all or part of their state tax refund to support their favorite nonprofit. When you file, look for the “Donate to a Colorado Charity or Nonprofit” line on your tax return or tax software, type in Colorado Foundation for Agriculture and our registration number: 20043005483, and then write in the amount you wish to donate. If you have your taxes prepared by someone else, just let them know you want to donate part or all of your refund and give them the instructions. Let us know if you donate! All tax refund donations are sent to us anonymously. Drop us an email with your name and the amount you donated.

Donate Meat-In Day Proceeds

#MeatIn Day is a state-wide movement to celebrate, promote, and protect agriculture and food production in Colorado. Community #MeatIn events across the state are held the 3rd weekend in March. If your event is designed as a fundraiser, consider naming Colorado Agriculture in the Classroom as a benefactor of your #MeatIn event. We can provide you with logos and information to assist with the promotion of your event. Also, consider requesting any of our free education resources through our Online Store to give to attendees.

2023 #MeatIn Day events raised $3,200 for Colorado Agriculture in the Classroom. Let’s double that amount in 2024!

Thank You Sponsors!

Listed below are sponsors at the Champion of Education and Honor Roll levels for the 2022-2023 fiscal year.

A listing of all sponsors can be found here.

Colorado Agriculture in the Classroom | 970-818-3308 | GrowingYourFuture.com

10343 Federal Blvd Unit J Box 224, Westminster, CO 80260