Free Literacy Program for PreK-5 Students
Colorado teachers are encouraged to sign up for the Colorado Literacy Project, a free program for prekindergarten through fifth grade students from the Colorado Foundation for Agriculture (CFA).
The Colorado Literacy Project is a way to bring agriculture into the classroom, while reinforcing reading comprehension and other academic standards. From mid-February through May, farmers and ranchers across Colorado visit classrooms and read a book to the students. They answer questions and talk about their connection to agriculture.
A different book is selected each year for this program. The book for 2022 is a new book, published specifically for this year’s program and features a unique, true-life story centered around kindness and Colorado peaches. Set in the orchards of western Colorado, The Sweetest Treat is based on the story of Mrs. Maxine Lundgren Clark Allen. It was written by Rachel Gabel and illustrated by Liz Banman-Munsterteiger. In addition to receiving a free copy of The Sweetest Treat, the first 400 classes to sign up will also be given 100% Colorado Peach Juice to sample with their students.
Teachers may sign up their class, their grade level, or their whole elementary school. Visits will take place either in-person or virtually. Educators, day cares, and others may also sign up to participate in special virtual reading sessions of The Sweetest Treat during the week of March 21-25, 2022, as part of CFA’s National Ag Day celebration. Visit GrowingYourFuture.com for more information and to sign up. Or use this direct link to the registration form: https://bit.ly/3EUDNf0
Volunteers needed! CFA is looking for farmers, ranchers, agriculturalists to volunteer to complete the classroom visits for this Colorado Literacy Project. All materials will be provided and a training for volunteers will be held virtually in early February to help ensure a successful visit. To volunteer, please use this sign-up form: https://bit.ly/3pXII8D
For more information about the Colorado Literacy Project, please contact Lucee Church, CFA education program coordinator at Lucee@GrowingYourFuture.com.
The 2022 Colorado Literacy Project is sponsored by the Colorado Department of Agriculture/USDA Specialty Crop Block Grant Program, the Bessie Minor Swift Foundation on behalf of The Fence Post magazine, and various individual donors.
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CFA Welcomes Lucee Church
The Colorado Foundation for Agriculture (CFA) is pleased to announce the hiring of Lucee Church of Lomo, Colo., as its education program coordinator.
Church taught middle school mathematics for ten years in the Mesa County Valley School District. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in elementary education-middle school mathematics concentration and a Master of Science degree in education media design and technology. She and her family live on a small farm in Loma where she grows and sells fresh cut flowers. They also raise chickens and pigs on a small scale.
Lucee is a graduate of CFA’s Summer AgriCULTURE Institute program, and it is there that she says she found her passion for agricultural literacy. “I am excited to be working in a position that merges teaching and agriculture. I want to be able to contribute to bringing agricultural literacy to all students,” Lucee says.
As the education program coordinator, Lucee will organize and implement several existing and new Colorado Agriculture in the Classroom (CoAITC) programs across the state.
"I am excited to add Lucee as a part-time staff member of the Colorado Foundation for Agriculture. She will work directly with teachers, curriculum coordinators, and school administrators to increase the number of students impacted by Colorado's Agriculture in the Classroom programs and resources," notes Jennifer Scharpe, CFA executive director.
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December Featured Resources |
Check out these lesson plans and resources from the National Agriculture Curriculum Matrix.
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Journey 2050 Teaches Sustainability
Free Cross-Curricular Program, Gaming Platform
The Journey 2050 program is a unique combination of lesson plans and an educational gaming platform. The seven-level game and program meets educational standards for science, geography, social studies, STEM, career and technical education and agriculture classes. Lesson topics include: sustainability, soil, water, economy, geography, culture, careers, agriculture technology and project-based learning. It is geared to grades 6-12, is free of charge and is compatible on all devices.
New program, website and game updates are underway and are expected to be completed by early 2022. Program updates include a searchable educational standards database on the website, additional lesson plans on hot topics in agriculture, the option to use the program in French, and revised teacher reports. The website will have a new look with a clearer explanation of the program and how it works. To learn more about Journey 2050 and download the game, visit Journey 2050. Or watch this recording a a Virtual Teacher Workshop that was held this summer.
The extended-learning/home version of Journey 2050, Farmers 2050, is a free realistic farm game. Outside of playing it for fun, teachers have used it as a bell-ringer or break activity, even a homework assignment. In addition to planting, cultivating and harvesting crops, players trade goods and compete in Global Events. Help Nutrien reach its goal of 1 million users by downloading it at Farmers 2050 today! Questions about Journey 2050 or Farmers 2050? Email Jennifer Scharpe at Jennifer@GrowingYourFuture.com
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Evaluate Our Lesson Plans!
Guess what? We have a new system for educators to give feedback on the lesson plans they use! The new system is MUCH more teacher friendly! Please take a few minutes to share about any lesson you've used in the last year!
How? Go to any lesson on the Matrix, scroll to the very bottom, and click on the "Feedback" link by the orange survey icon.
Feedback from educators is one of the most valuable tools we have to improve existing lessons, identify lesson plans we should add to the Matrix, and to give a high five to the lesson contributors!
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Agriculture Cares
Colorado Foundation for Agriculture is excited to be part of High Plains Journal's Agriculture Cares campaign. Through December 31, 2021, the weekly ag news publication will donate 25% of all subscription revenue to select nonprofits serving farm communities. Make sure to select Agriculture in the Classroom so your donation goes to our state program.
HPJ covers ag news across 12 states spanning South Dakota to Texas and Colorado to Iowa.
High Plains Journal subscriptions include:
📬 52 annual issues delivered weekly
💻 Friday Digital Edition access and all hpj.com content
🙌 Bonus seed & livestock guides
✅ Subscriber discounts on classified ads & more
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Coming in January! Southeast CO Local Procurement (LoProCO) Workshop Series
Agricultural producers, schools and institutional buyers, educational leaders, and community leaders are invited to join us for the Local Procurement Colorado (LoProCO) Workshop Series launching on January 28, 2022 in Las Animas, Colo. The workshop will be held at Las Animas High School from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. The entire 3-part series costs $150 and offers professional development credits, networking, resources, delicious locally sourced food and more! Registration is required.
To register and learn more about this workshop series, click here.
People who attend this training will:
- Learn how to break into the multi-million dollar school and institutional market
- Learn about accessing school markets and growing and raising products for schools.
- Hear from producers and institutional buyers that have successfully navigated farm to school.
- Gain new knowledge and resources for integrating school markets into your business plan and for integrating more local food into menus that your customers love
- Meet local peers and experts, and have questions answered.
The development of this training was funded at least in part with federal funds from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Service and the Colorado Department of Agriculture
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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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You Shop. Amazon Gives. Every time you shop, AmazonSmile donates to the Colorado Foundation for Agriculture. |
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The Colorado Foundation for Agriculture is a 501(c)3 nonprofit education corporation. Our mission is connecting Colorado educators and students to their food, fiber, fuel, and natural resources through the Agriculture in the Classroom® program.
You can support our efforts to advance agricultural literacy by making your tax-deductible gift today at https://bit.ly/givecfa.
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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