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Teacher Resources
Spirit of Innovation Awards—This competition brings together teams of high school students to address the grand challenges of the 21st century by creating products using science, technology, innovation and entrepreneurship in four categories: aerospace exploration, green schools, renewable energy and space nutrition. All four categories have agricultural applications! With a mission to inspire students and deliver the skill sets required to innovate; encourage students to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics; and grow a new generation of innovators and entrepreneurs, this award is right up our alley! http://www.conradawards.org/
The 2010 DuPont Challenge Science Essay Competition—The DuPont Challenge© has two primary objectives: to help increase science literacy among students and to motivate them to excel at communicating scientific ideas. It offers students the opportunity to write a 700- to 1,000-word essay discussing a scientific discovery, theory, event or technological application that has captured their interest (including agricultural interests). DuPont has sponsored the Agriscience Ambassador’s program for several years and expects participants to assist their students in participation. It’s a chance to really show them the results of our teachers’ agriscience focus! Essays are due by Midnight on Jan. 31, 2010. All students currently enrolled in grades seventh through 12th are eligible for participation. http://thechallenge.dupont.com/teacherintro.html
Renewable Fuels Foundation & Renewable Fuels Association Scholarships are offering 10 scholarships to students pursuing studies in a field related to ethanol. This scholarship opportunity will cover the registration fee to the next National Ethanol Conference in Orlando, Fla., in February 2010 (valued at $750). The deadline to apply is Nov. 30, 2009. Details and the application form are provided at www.renewablefuelsfoundation.org/resources/scholarship/.
Advocating for Agriculture Awards—nominate someone for the Ag Woman of the Year, Community Leadership Award and Ag Innovation Award to be recognized at the AG CONNECT Expo 2010. In an effort to voice support for production agriculture, and to present in a compelling way the work of farmers and ranchers to provide abundant and affordable food and fiber, the awards are intended to highlight the significant contribution that production agriculture makes to our quality of life. One grand prize winner in each of the three categories——will receive a FREE trip to Orlando for AG CONNECT Expo 2010. Nominations should include information that explains how the nominee's work and accomplishments this year have advocated for agriculture. Nomination deadline is December 4th.
http://www.agconnect.com/About/General/Awards/
2010 Toyota International Teacher Program to Costa Rica—a fully funded professional development program for U.S. educators. Full-time classroom teachers and librarians of all subjects for grades 6 – 12 are eligible to apply! Funded by Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc., and administered by the Institute of International Education, the program aims to advance environmental stewardship and global connectedness in U.S. schools and communities. The program will take place June 18 – July 3, 2010 and the deadline to apply is Jan. 6, 2010. Visit www.toyota4education.com for application instructions, FAQs and to apply online.
Chicago Board of Trade—get minute by minute updates on grain market prices, discover what’s driving those prices on the floor, hear what traders are saying about why the prices are behaving the way they are and how each CBOT pit floor is responding. www.agriculture.com/marketeye
Successful Farming Magazine Online—Access resources for introducing students to the business of agriculture. Articles address specific commodities/enterprises, management strategies and family issues relevant to today’s production agriculturalists.
Trait Stewardship Lesson Plans — Monsanto offers a number of free teacher resources to use in the classrooms. The newest resource is a series of Trait Stewardship Lesson Plans that provide students with the opportunity to learn about biotechnology's techniques, practical application and related careers. These materials are available to teachers in a variety of easy-to-use activities -- discussion topics, case studies, readings, hands-on labs and Internet activities -- that can be modified to match classroom needs. The Trait Stewardship Lesson Plans as well as other resources of potential interest are available on Monsanto’s website.
Nasco—Look for the latest materials to teach soil erosion, how it occurs and how to prevent it; water pollution and its effects; and the devastating consequences of acid rain. Nasco continues to be a leading provider of agricultural education classroom and laboratory supplies, providing quality products at a price teachers and schools can afford. Check out their online catalog for everything from test tubes to grooming shoots and everything in between.
http://www.enasco.com/farmandranch/
Online Landscape Equipment Safety Training—The system consists of three main components: an online, full-action video; an online exam; and a Safety Checklist/Training Certificate to ensure the student can operate the equipment correctly. High school classrooms can benefit using this program because it is the only system of its kind on the market. It is affordable and comes with an FFA discount. It gives complete and thorough training on the pieces of equipment used by landscapers, increasing a student’s chances of employment. For more information, visit www.landscapesafety.com or call 877-482-2323.