Mon, 05 Sep 2022 09:00:13 CDT
Farm Director, KC Sheperd, had the chance to catch up with the Professional Development Coordinator for Oklahoma Ag in the Classroom, Melody Aufill as she fills KC in on resources Oklahoma Ag in the Classroom has to offer and talks about Read an Accurate Ag Book Week taking place this week.
"Ag in the classroom is a really great program and I am one of the state coordinators along with Emily Ague, who serves southwest Oklahoma, and Annie Davis who serves northeast Oklahoma," Aufill said. "I kind of do the other sections."
Aufill said Oklahoma Ag in the Classroom is a three-way partnership between the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, the State Department of Education and OSU Extension. The Department of Agriculture is where they are based, she added.
"We have been trying to educate teachers about agriculture so they can educate their students," Aufill said.
Aufill said by visiting agclassroom.org/ok, teachers can access resources and lessons. The nice thing about Ag in the Classroom, Aufill said is you can implement it as much or as little as you would like.
There are lessons on the website to assist in the teaching of any skill or subject including categories such as main idea or scientific principles, Aufill said. The activities and lessons, she added, are aligned to Oklahoma academic standards.
There are also recipes on the website, Aufill said, to help students make the connection to where their food comes from. For teachers in urban areas who feel like Ag in the Classroom would not make sense in their classroom because of location and students, Aufill said the lessons fit in anywhere.
"Everyone eats every day, and we all wear clothes, so we should know where our food comes from," Aufull said. "We need to know about those farmers who raise and grow our food and our clothing."
This week, September 6-9, Ag in the Classroom will have "Read an Accurate Ag Book Week" where teachers and anyone interested can sign up and read to students.
"We will also have some zoom options," Aufill said. "Last year the Lieutenant Governor read a book and teachers could sign up to hear him read a book to their students."
There are plenty of ways for anyone to participate in the "Read an Accurate Ag Book Week", so Aufill encourages anyone who is interested in agriculture to reach out to a local classroom or a local school and see if they can participate.
Farm Director, KC Sheperd, will be participating in “Read an Accurate Ag Book” week on Wednesday via zoom!
Don't know how to get started? Here are a few suggestions:
Teachers /Librarians/Early Childhood Centers etc. – register to read to your classroom, snap a picture, post on social media #okagclass & #readagbooks2022, or email a picture
Parents – ask to register the teacher of your child, kindly ask to be a guest reader, or ask a community member to read
Schools – read an accurate agriculture book week "school wide," bring in community members to read, SRO school resource officers, retired teachers, FFA members, High Schools groups, or request a guest reader
Classrooms – Register and join a ZOOM "reader" we will spotlight during the week.
We will have a drawing for bushels of books for those who complete the steps below!
(2 classrooms, 1 FFA Chapter, 1 4H, and 1 FCCLA)
1. Register at https://forms.gle/3Q6ZHFhzB61DU7Qs5
2. Read an "Accurate Ag Book"
3. Post a picture on FB/Insta using
#okagclass & #readagbooks2022
OR email, emily.ague@ag.ok.gov
Register at:
https://forms.gle/3Q6ZHFhzB61DU7Qs5
Click the LISTEN BAR below to listen to KC's conversation with Melody Aufill on Oklahoma Ag in the classroom and the upcoming conference.
