LCEO Goes Virtual for 2020/21
Linn County Education Outreach plans to goes virtual for the 2020/21 school year. While we are sad to not join you in the classroom, we are excited about the opportunities that technology can provide.
Why Teach Agriculture?
Agriculture provides local connections to math, science and social studies concepts. By offering agriculture in the classroom we can create real-world STEM opportunities. Did you know our National Agriculture Literacy Themes align with 90 Iowa Core science standards?
National Agriculture Literacy Themes:
1. Agriculture & the Environment 2. Plants & Animals for Food, Fiber & Energy 3. Food, Health & Lifestyle 4. Culture, Society, Economy & Geography 5. Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics
We would like to help you incorporate agriculture into your "Return to Learn" plan this fall with the following options.
Monthly visits: Experience agriculture in your own classroom by inviting Linn County Farm Bureau Education Outreach to virtually visit your classroom once a month. Visits typically last between 30 and 45 minutes. Lessons are Iowa Core aligned.
- Option one: Monthly kits with pre-recorded videos introducing lesson, materials, and scheduled virtual chat
- Option two: Monthly kits with pre-recorded video and materials with no scheduled chat
- Option three: Monthly kits with lesson plans
- Option four: Monthly lesson materials sent by email or available to download from website
- Option five: Pre-recorded video and digital lesson plan
Unit kit delivery (i.e. hatching, planting, soil, harvest, etc.)
FarmChat®: Take a field trip without leaving the classroom. Through FarmChat®, we can visit a farm or agriculture business through virtual technology.
Publications (by request): My Family Farm Series, Iowa Ag Today Magazines, Flat Aggie Adventures (dairy, pork and turkey).
We can't wait to connect! Email Morgan Hibbs at mhibbs@ifbf.org with any concerns or comments!
*Plans are not set and stone, we are evaluating feedback from teachers and will implement one or all of the options above to best meet the needs of our Linn County teachers. Plans are subject to change as we receive new recommendations due to COVID-19.
Check out what previous teachers have to say about LCEO!
"I love that the program reaches all levels of students and lets them be hands-on!"
"The lessons are developmentally appropriate for the kindergarten aged student. They incorporate literature, questioning and response, and tie the lesson up with a highly engaging activity. The lessons are the perfect amount of time. Morgan is a fantastic facilitator and understands the young learner. That is critical! The students look forward to her visits each month! Morgan is willing to share her expertise outside the lesson time. She is a wealth of knowledge about agricultural literature and other resources that may enhance learning that we are doing."
"I loved being able to provide our children with science topics that are more local to our area."
"Exposed kids to things and topics that many of them have never been exposed to or had experiences with. Hands-on activities are awesome!"
"I have seen improvements over the course of the past few years and am impressed with the level of engagement and how well the lessons complement what we are doing in the classrooms. The only change that I wish we could see would be MORE visits!"
