Sheryl BennettDavid Gordon

April Hall BarczewskiTom Hutson

Kristen Wilson

Maryland is known as “American in Miniature” Agriculture is the #1 industry in the state Maryland’s population mass is largely located

in Urban and Suburban Agriculture education is not heavily utilized in

MD schools

Agriculture education program for middle school youth

Learning kit that includes: Experiential lesson plans Career Exploration Supplies needed to conduct lessons Evaluation tools

Utilized in ANY setting by ANYONE

1. Increase the awareness and appreciation of MD agriculture in the areas of production agriculture, health, and environmental issues.

2. Increase the amount of youth pursuing post secondary degrees and careers in agriculture and science related fields.

3. Partner with other stakeholders in an effort to integrate this program into MD schools.

Date Action

Spring 2010 Applied and received NIFA grant

Summer 2010 Met with Maryland Department of Education STEM and career tech coordinators.

Fall 2010 Curriculum development and review

Winter 2011 AGsploration Winter Institute

Spring 2011 Pilot curriculum

Summer 2011 AGsploration Science Career Institute*

Fall 2011 Finalize curriculum and learning kit construction*

Spring/Summer 2012 Teacher Trainings*

*Continuing to look for additional funding

The Kit The Curriculum

1. Animal Digestion

2. Buy Close to Home, Purchase Locally Grown

3. Conservation Choices: How Farmers and Developers Protect the Bay

4. Do You Get My (Non) Point? Modeling Pollution in a Watershed

5. Food, Fiber, and More from Animals

6. Food for Thought: Agriculture in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed

7. Grains: The Whole Story

8. It’s Just Dirt

9. Persistent Pests

10. Send in the Sun: A Look at Photosynthesis

11. What’s In Your Genes?

12. Who Lives Here? Species of the Bay Region & Watershed

13. Wild & Wooly

Three 2 day overnight events for ~200 middle school youth

Recruitment through County Extension Offices, MD State Department of Education, newspapers, commodity groups, etc…

Dates June 27 & 28

Frederick County 4-H Camp in Frederick, MD June 29 & 30

Patuxent River 4-H Center in Upper Marlboro, MD July 14 & 15

Thendara 4-H Camp in Hurlock, MD

Participants will have the chance to: Participate in hands on activities utilizing curriculum Network with guest speakers Tour and visit local Agriculture Enterprises Learn about potential educational and career

opportunities in the Agriculture Science fields

Participants will be evaluated via pre/post tests and a 12 month follow up survey

ITEM TOTAL

Registration Fee ($30/participant w/ 200 participants) $6,000

MD 4-H Foundation Mini Grant (applying for in April 2011) $5,000

MD Grain Producers Grant $4,300

Event Sponsorships $7,000

TOTAL BUDGET $22,300

ITEM TOTAL

Meals & Lodging $1,000

AGsploration Team Travel (Includes mileage, lodging, and meals)

$2,500

Nurse ($125/day for 6 days) $750

Supplies $750

TOTAL BUDGET $5,000

Sheryl Bennett – sherylb@umd.edu

David Gordon – dgordon3@umd.edu

April Hall Barczewski – adhall@umd.edu

Tom Hutson – thutson@umd.edu

Kristen Wilson – kswilson@umd.edu