Ag & Earth Exploration

The Ag&Earth Expo Planning Committee is composed of representatives from multiple organizations within the Central Texas area.   These community leaders have made a strong commitment to develop and implement an intensive educational outreach to elementary-level teachers across a seven-county region.  The Planning Committee is a collaborative outgrowth of two successful, long-term activities in the region: Agriculture Awareness and Earth Day.  Independently, these activities reach more than 3,000 students annually.   Working collaboratively, we are confident that the quality and quantity of educational outreach will expand.

The program goal is to directly impact more than 250 teachers through a yearlong educational outreach consisting of 75 hours of continuing education units. This training program will directly extend learning to more than 5,000 students. We are anticipating more than 4,000 students from across a seven county region participating in the Ag&Earth Expo in May 1-3, 2001.

As a strong component of the training series, classroom projects are being developed that focus on learning through hands-on activities.  Each project provides classroom resources and requires student research products.  Students will create visual reports of each project and these student projects will be displayed at the Ag&Earth Expo2001. Classroom presentations may include, but not be limited to, Powerpoint presentations, static displays, wallboards, science posters, maps, graphs, charts, etc.

 Program Deliverables for Teachers and Students include:

 1)      Providing more than 75 hours of educator training in science and agriculture including modern applications of technology,

2)      Designing and assisting implementation of more than 60 classroom projects,

3)      Development of a comprehensive and extensive web site for elementary teachers that provides long-term support for curriculum and identified resources, and

4)      Implementation of a collaborative three-day activity (Ag&Earth Expo 2001) that will strengthen science, agricultural learning and safety, farm health issues, natural resource conservation and management, and environmental education in the elementary classrooms. 

Program Deliverables for Sponsors and Educational Partners include:

       1)      An educational outreach consistent with the sponsor’s mission, to more than 80 independent school districts,

2)      Acknowledgement on all marketing tools, i.e. web site, teacher’s packets, brochures, etc. associated with Ag&Earth Exploration,

3)      Developed material from the project, i.e., curriculum modules developed by local teachers and student presentations, will be provided electronically to each interested educational partner. 

Evaluation. Through this approach of multiple applications, teachers will become more confident in their teaching skills in science and agriculture through an increased knowledge base.  Through a successfully trained and energized educator, students will embrace new career interests at an earlier age.  As professional educators, we are confident that this multiple approach will strengthen our teacher learning at the elementary level.  Program amendments will be based on elementary teacher and administrator input.   The evaluation process will study the question:

 How effective was the project in imprinting science and agriculture in the minds of elementary teachers?

 Planning Group for Ag&Earth Exploration.

1)       Veronica Alexander, State Volunteer Coordinator for USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service

2)       Larry Koester, Mechanical Engineering Technician, USDA Agriculture Research Service

3)       Harold Bryant, State Public Affairs Specialist for USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service

4)       Marc Curliss, Science and Mathematics Coordinator for Educational Service Center Region XII, Regional Collaborative for Excellence in Science Teaching

5)       James Davis, Bell County Extension Agent

6)       Kyle Eckert, Bell County Extension Agent

7)       Daniel Eilers, Administrative Assistant, H.E.B. Food Group

8)       Debby Garrett, Office Manager for Central Texas Council of Governments

9)       Tad Duncan, Farm Bureau, Education Specialist

10)   Gay Ippolito, Conservationist, USDA Forest Service

11)   Jennifer Lawyer, Natural Resources Coordinator for Central Texas Council of Governments

12)   Alice Martin, Backyard Habitat Coordinator for National Wildlife Federation

13)   Tammy McKee, Director of Elementary Curriculum for Belton Independent School District

14)   Ilene Miller, Bell County Extension Agent

15)   Sheryl Nolen, Bell County Extension Agent

16)   Lisa Sebek, Recycling and Solid Waste Coordinator for City of Temple

17)   MaryAnn Smith, Program Manager for Bell County Network for Educational Technology and TAES Blackland Research and Extension Center

18)   Clay Wright, Information Specialist of Texas State Soil and Water Conservation Board

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                        Last Edited: 10/01/08