The Iowa Agriculture Literacy Foundation (IALF) has awarded 119 grants to schools across Iowa to bolster the integration of agriculture into classroom instruction and after-school programs. The foundation’s Agriculture in the Classroom Teacher Supplement Grants are designed to help teachers initiate new projects and/or expand upon existing programs that promote agriculture literacy for students. Grants can be used to fund innovative lessons, activities, classroom resources, guest speakers, outreach programs, field trips and other projects. Teachers received up to $200 to fund their projects. Ashley Langel of Gehlen Catholic in Le Mars said the grant will help fund a smaller-scale greenhouse that she aims to grow into a large-scale facility. “Students will test soil and water nutrients, measure plant growth, and eventually grow food for our cafeteria,” Langel said in a prepared statement. “In my Biology and AgScience classes, we can use a garden to help students learn about plant structure, function, and reproduction.” Other projects launching this spring include farm robotics, culinary and nutrition programs, crop and animal life cycles, tree propagation and aquaponics. For the full list of recipients, click here.
