Integrating Agriculture & Food Science into the Classroom: A Hands-On Hybrid Professional Development

Agriculture plays a crucial role in our daily lives, from the food we eat to the science and technology that ensure its safety and quality. This hybrid professional development experience is designed for teachers, extension personnel, and youth educators who want to bring real-world agricultural concepts into their classrooms while meeting Iowa Core science and social studies standards.

Through a combination of self-paced online learning and two days of immersive, face-to-face instruction, participants will explore how food moves from farm to table, the science behind food processing and safety, and how agriculture can be used to enhance STEM, social studies, and other core subjects. Educators will leave with practical, hands-on activities and lesson plans that make learning engaging, relevant, and easy to implement.

Day 1: The Science Behind Food Processing & Safety

•  Gain insight into the complex process of food production, processing, and distribution.
•  Explore key concepts in food science, safety, and processing, including temperature control, packaging, and contamination prevention.
•  Participate in on-site industry tours to a dairy processor, a meat locker, and a local farm, where experts will share firsthand knowledge of the food supply chain and agricultural innovations.

🔹 Day 2: Connecting Agriculture to STEM & Social Studies

•  Learn how to seamlessly integrate agricultural topics into STEM education, using real-world applications to enhance student learning.
•  Explore the prevalence of food production and processing in Iowa.
•  Engage in interactive lesson plan sessions utilizing classroom-ready activities that align with Iowa Core standards.
•  Walk away with engaging, hands-on instructional materials that require little to no additional preparation.

Why Join?

• Expand your teaching toolkit with engaging, agriculture-based STEM and social studies lessons.
•  Gain firsthand experience with food production practices from industry professionals.
•  Discover new ways to engage students by connecting classroom learning to real-world applications.
•  Network with fellow educators and industry experts, building valuable partnerships for future learning opportunities.

This highly interactive professional development experience is perfect for educators looking to enhance student engagement, deepen content understanding, and bring the world of agriculture and food science into their classrooms.