This document printed from the University of Illinois Extension Rock Island County at http://www.extension.uiuc.edu/rockisland/
Summer Agriculture Institute
2009 Rock Island County Summer Ag Institute
The 2009 Rock Island Summer Ag Institute for teachers is scheduled for July 6-10, 2009. The weeklong course focusing on agriculture will offer three graduate credit hours in cooperation with Aurora University, or Continuing Professional Development Units. The tour helps pre K-12 grade teachers integrate instruction about the food and fiber industry into their present curriculum.
The course includes field trips to local food production plants, river barge elevators, local farms, and other agribusiness operations.
Teachers attending the Summer Ag Institute will learn about agriculture, the entire food and fiber system, consumer issues relating to agriculture, teaching innovations and available teaching resources. Teachers will also have the opportunity to apply new understanding in developing new and unique classroom lessons for easy integration into their curriculum.
The sessions provide elementary and secondary teachers a better understanding of the complexity, scope and scale of Illinois agriculture, its impact on each person's life and on the economy of Illinois and the nation.
The course fee is $275 (Farm Bureau members will receive a discount). Graduate Credit cost is an additional $225. For more information about the institute, contact the Rock Island County Farm Bureau at (309) 736-7432.
Registration Fee: $275 (Farm Bureau Members will receive a discount)
Graduate Credit: 3 hours from Aurora University ($225 additional for graduate credit), Course # OEDC 6182.
Description: Teachers will be introduced to Ag in the Classroom resource materials and other various resources that incorporate agriculture into lesson plans for math, science, language arts, and social sciences. Each of the five daily sessions is divided into classroom presentations and exercises, and field trips around the Quad City region to visit local agricultural producers and businesses. Instructors will include the state Ag in the Classroom director, regional and county agriculture and conservation professionals, and local producers.
