Source: UNIV OF MINNESOTA submitted to NRP
REINVENTING THE FOOD AND FIBER SYSTEMS (AGRICULTURAL) LITERACY CURRICULUM FRAMEWORK
Sponsoring Institution
National Institute of Food and Agriculture
Project Status
COMPLETE
Funding Source
Reporting Frequency
Annual
Accession No.
0223482
Grant No.
2010-38858-21831
Cumulative Award Amt.
(N/A)
Proposal No.
2010-04609
Multistate No.
(N/A)
Project Start Date
Sep 1, 2010
Project End Date
Aug 31, 2012
Grant Year
2011
Program Code
[MQ.1]- SERD-Admin. Discretionary & Reim - Extension
Recipient Organization
UNIV OF MINNESOTA
(N/A)
ST PAUL,MN 55108
Performing Department
Division of Agricultural Education and Applied Economics
Non Technical Summary
The Food and Fiber Systems Literacy Framework was organized into five broad themes: Understanding Food and fiber Systems; History, Geography, and Culture; Science, Technology and Environment; Business and Economics; and Food, Nutrition and Health. Each theme contained four to five standards which described what a student should broadly know relative to food, agriculture and natural resources. For each standard, benchmarks were developed by grade groupings (K-1, 2-3, 4-5, 6-8, and 9-12). The benchmarks were statements of expected skill or understanding to be achieved. The Food and Fiber Systems Literacy Curriculum Framework has been used by teachers, state agricultural education leaders, directors of curriculum and others in over 30 states, since released in 1998, as an overall framework for planning instruction about food, agriculture and natural resources in grades K-12. However, many changes have taken place over the past 12 years, since the Framework was developed. In addition, the National Ag in the Classroom network of states approved a resolution at the National Ag in the Classroom Conference in June 2010 to place the revision of the Food and Fiber Systems Literacy Framework as a priority for funding and work of the NAITC Network of States. Therefore, a need exists to revise and to reinvent the Food and Fiber Systems Literacy Curriculum Framework to address not only the contemporary changes in food, agriculture and natural resources, but the changes in educational needs of students and public education priorities. Planning Grant Primary Outcomes: A planning grant with possible renewal for three years is requested. This planning grant will provide support for: 1) Development of an National Ag in the Classroom Curriculum Advisory Committee (at least two professionals involved in coordinating/teaching agricultural literacy from each of the four National Ag in the Classroom Regions of the U.S). This group will be charged with advising James Leising, Professor of Agricultural Education, University of Minnesota, with development of a plan for revision of the Food and Fiber Systems Literacy Framework. 2) The advisory committee will review the current Food and Fiber Systems Literacy Curriculum Framework and advise Dr. Leising on the content outline for the revised Framework, organization changes and distribution methods to be used. 3) The advisory committee will develop a multi-year plan that may include the following overall activities: 2010-2011 Development of plan to revise the Food and Fiber Systems Literacy Curriculum Framework. 2011-2012 Revise Framework content, organization and dissemination strategy 2012-2014 Pilot test revised agricultural literacy curriculum framework and disseminate to all of the states by December 2014.
Animal Health Component
100%
Research Effort Categories
Basic
(N/A)
Applied
100%
Developmental
(N/A)
Classification

Knowledge Area (KA)Subject of Investigation (SOI)Field of Science (FOS)Percent
90360993020100%
Goals / Objectives
The Food and Fiber Systems Literacy Curriculum Framework has been used by teachers, state agricultural education leaders, directors of curriculum and others in over 30 states, since released in 1998, as an overall framework for planning instruction about food, agriculture and natural resources in grades K-12. This project proposes to develop a plan to revise the Food and Fiber Systems Literacy Curriculum Framework. This revision will be based on input from the National Ag in the Classroom Curriculum Advisory Committee composed of at least two professionals involved in coordinating/teaching agricultural literacy from each of the four National Ag in the Classroom Regions of the U.S. The Advisory Committee will advise the project director on the development of a plan to revise the Food and Fiber Systems Literacy Framework over the next two years. Specifically, the advisory committee will review the current Food and Fiber Systems Literacy Curriculum Framework and provide input into the content outline for the revised Framework, organizational and format changes, field testing in formal and non-formal educational settings and dissemination methods. The revised framework will provide national curriculum direction to Ag in the Classroom programs in the U.S.
Project Methods
Planning Grant Primary Outcomes: A planning grant with possible renewal for three years is requested. This planning grant will provide support for: 1) Development of an National Ag in the Classroom Curriculum Advisory Committee (at least two professionals involved in coordinating/teaching agricultural literacy from each of the four National Ag in the Classroom Regions of the U.S). This group will be charged with advising James Leising, Professor of Agricultural Education, University of Minnesota, with development of a plan for revision of the Food and Fiber Systems Literacy Framework. 2) The advisory committee will review the current Food and Fiber Systems Literacy Curriculum Framework and advise Dr. Leising on the content outline for the revised Framework, organization changes and distribution methods to be used. 3) The advisory committee will develop a multi-year plan that may include the following overall activities: 2010-2011 Development of plan to revise the Food and Fiber Systems Literacy Curriculum Framework. 2011-2012 Revise Framework content, organization and dissemination strategy 2012-2014 Pilot test revised agricultural literacy curriculum framework and disseminate to all of the states by December 2014. 2010-2011 Planning Grant Time Line: 1) Initiate planning grant July 15, 2010, through September 30, 2011. 2) October 2010, NAIC Advisory Committee to meet face to face in Minnesota to begin assessment of Framework revisions and additions and confirm time line of activities and outcomes. 3) Assignments made to advisory committee for review of the Framework with bi-monthly conference calls. 4) Report to spring regional AITC meetings on progress of Framework revision and seek input from regional members on overall revision plan. 5) Complete outline of planned revisions and timeline of activities for completing the overall project..

Progress 09/01/10 to 08/31/12

Outputs
OUTPUTS: "Reinventing the Food and Fiber Systems Literacy Curriculum Framework" project had two phases: In Phase I-Planning, the primary objectives were to: 1) develop a National Ag in the Classroom Curriculum Advisory Committee composed of two state contacts from each region in the U.S. and 2) Review the current Food and Fiber Systems Literacy Curriculum Framework and advise the project director on the essential elements of a new Agricultural Literacy Map. The advisory committee met in Washington, D.C. in February 2011 and provided recommendations. Phase II-Development of the Agricultural Literacy Map had three primary objectives:Objective 1: Develop Ag Literacy Map - Major Activities a.Assembled content experts to review the themes and benchmarks of existing Food and Fiber Systems Literacy Framework to determine importance, relevancy, duplication and identify new content for inclusion. Representatives from Wyoming Ag in the Classroom were included in the review process, along with input from the AITC Advisory Committee. b.Sent draft of Ag Literacy Curriculum Map to AITC Advisory Committee for review. c.Presented draft to AITC State Contacts at National AITC Conference in June 2012. d.Hosted Webinars for State Contacts to learn more about the Ag Literacy Map and provided opportunity for input. Following Webinar a survey was conducted to solicit input, using Survey Monkey. e.Used input from State Contacts and AITC Advisory Committee, to develop a second draft of the Ag Literacy Curriculum Map. f.Disseminated second draft of the Ag Literacy Curriculum Map to State AITC Contacts and AITC Advisory Committee Members. g.Developed final draft of Ag Literacy map Objective 2: Prepare Cross-reference of Map to Common Core State Standards -Major Activities a.Identified five experienced professionals who have worked with Common Core Standards implementation in school districts to cross-reference Ag Literacy Curriculum Map student outcomes and benchmarks to Common Core State Academic Standards in mathematics and language arts and existing National Science Standards. b.Used a third party expert to review cross-reference of Ag Literacy Curriculum Map after second draft of Map was developed to assess any changes in the cross-reference spreadsheet. Objective 3: Develop Field testing and dissemination strategies - Major Activities. This objective was not addressed, since the NAITC Advisory Committee recommended that the next phase of the project address the identification of lesson plans that can be cross-referenced to the student outcomes/benchmarks of the Agricultural Literacy Map and Common Core Academic Standards and other related national academic standards. This phase of the project is being planned by the USDA-NIFA National Ag in the Classroom project. Dissemination Activities: An Internet Web Site was developed for dissemination of the Agricultural Literacy Map in consultation with the National Ag in the Classroom Internet Web Site. The plan is to move the information from the test Web Site to the National Ag in the Classroom Web Site within 30 days. The Web site is intended for k-12 teachers and curriculum planners in the U.S. and beyond. PARTICIPANTS: Acknowledgements Agricultural Literacy Curriculum Map Project Staff James G. Leising, Project Director, Professor of Agricultural Education, University of Minnesota- Twin Cities, MN Vernon Cardwell, Professor of Agronomy and Plant Genetics, University of Minnesota - Twin Cities Case Bretzman, Coordinator, Agricultural Education, University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, MN Randi Nelson, Partners in Evaluation, Twin Cities, MN Agricultural Literacy Map National Ag in the Classroom Advisory Committee Alan Withers, Director, AITC - Minnesota Isabella Chism, Director AITC - Indiana Debra Spielmaker, Director AITC - Utah Monica Pastor, Director AITC - Arizona Vonne Knight, Director AITC - South Carolina Chris Fleming, Director AITC -Tennessee Willie Grenier, Director AITC - Maine Kevin Daugherty, Director AITC - Illinois Jessie Berry-Dafoe, Director AITC - Wyoming Mantha Phillps, Chair, Wyoming AITC Foundation Agriculture, Food and Natural Resource Content Expertise History, Geography, and Culture Theme David Lanegran, John S. Holl Professor of Geography and Coordinator of the Minnesota Geography Alliance, Macalester College, St. Paul, MN Science, Engineering and Technology Theme Vernon Cardwell, Morse-Alumni Distinguished Teaching Professor of Agronomy and Plant Genetics, University of Minnesota-Twin Cities Business and Economics Theme Claudia Parliament, Professor and Extension Economist of Applied Economics and Director of the Minnesota Council on Economic Education, University of Minnesota-Twin Cities Food, Nutrition and Health Theme Marla Reicks, Professor and Extension Nutritionist, University of Minnesota-Twin Cities Cross-reference to the State Common Core Standards and National Science Standards Nancy Geving, Curriculum Specialist, St. Paul School District Jennifer Nehl, Curriculum Consultant, TIE, Wyoming Steven Slavik, Language Arts Specialist, St. Paul Robert Randall Hall, Science Education Consultant, St. Paul, MN Donald McClung, Curriculum Consultant, Twin Cities, MN Web Site and Technical Support Albarella Design, South St. Paul, MN Financial Support United States Department of Agriculture - NIFA-Award 38858-21831 Wyoming Ag in the Classroom CHS Foundation/National Ag in the Classroom Organization TARGET AUDIENCES: Target Audiences The primary target audiences were Ag in the Classroom State Program staff and K-12 classroom teachers and school curriculum planners. National Ag in the Classroom lacked an Agriculural Literacy Curricululm Map identifying the most important agriculture, food and natural resource concepts that all children and youth in grades kindergarten through 12th in America's schools need to learn in order to be agriculturally literate. This project addressed this need by developing an agricultural literacy map and cross-referencing the Map to core academic standards in mathematics, language arts, and science. This Map will be used as a base in the next project to link teacher lesson plans to the Agricultural Literacy Curriculum Map and core academic standards. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: No real modifications were made in this project. Objective 3: Develop a field testing strategy, was not addressed because the AITC Advisory Committee recommended that a project connecting lesson plans to the Agricultural Literacy Map be conducted prior to field testing of the Map.

Impacts
The Agricultural Literacy Curriculum Map is the primary outcome of this project. It is divided into four themes: I. History, Geography, and Culture of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resource Systems; II. Science, Engineering, and Technology in Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resource Systems; III. Business and Economics in Agriculture, Food and Natural Resource Systems; and IV. Food, Nutrition, and Health in Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resource Systems. Each theme has student outcomes and grade-level student benchmarks. The student outcomes describe what the student should learn to become agricultural literate by the time they graduate from high school and the benchmarks are provided to assist educators in targeting and assessment of learning. The Agricultural Literacy Curriculum Map can be accessed at http://www.frontporchgroup.com/naic/index.html. This Internet Web Site will be transferred to the National Ag in the Classroom Web Site within 30 days and the materials will be available to the general public. Student outcomes and grade-level benchmarks were cross-referenced to the Common Core State Standards in mathematics and Language Arts and to the National Science Standards. The cross-reference can be accessed at http://www.frontporchgroup.com/naic/index.html This Internet Web Site will be transferred to the National Ag in the Classroom Web Site within 30 days and the materials will be available to the general public. Also, the Web pages can be linked to Wyoming Ag in the Classroom and other state AITC programs, if needed. The Agricultural Literacy Map and Cross-reference to Common Core State Standards is being disseminated to the National Ag in the Classroom Program through Internet Web Pages that were provided to the National Ag in the Classroom Web Editor at Utah State University. Also, access to all of the electronic files by the NAITC Web Editor are being provided to facilitate the next phase of the project, which is to link teacher lesson plans to each of the grade-level benchmarks of the Agricultural Literacy Curriculum Map and to cross-reference the lesson plans to the Common Core Standards and various other national academic standards. The primary impact of this project was to provide clear direction for the National Ag in the Classroom Program in focusing the curriculum around four themes and specific student outcomes within each theme that define the most important content knowledge all students should learn about agriculture, food and natural resources in kindergarten through 12th grade. As a result, the next phase of this project will be able to link lessons to student outcomes/benchmarks and core academic standards and assessments can be developed to provide an understanding of what students are learning and how the agricultural literacy curriculum map is contributing to student achievement in core academic areas.

Publications

  • Leising,J.G. (2012) Agricultural Literacy Curriculum Map, Internet http://www.frontporchgroup.com/naic/index.html (linked to National Ag in the Classroom).


Progress 09/01/10 to 08/31/11

Outputs
The Ag in the Classroom Advisory Council met with James Leising, Project Director, February 23-25,2011 in Washington, D.C. to provide input in the development of an agricultural literacy curriculum map based on the 1997 Food and Fiber Systems Literacy Curriculum Framework. It is envisioned that the agricultural literacy curriculum map will be designed for classroom teachers, but also used by AITC state program leaders and curriculum directors to provide overall direction to plan/integrate agricultural literacy education efforts in schools. The Advisory Council for Reinventing the Food and Fiber Systems Agricultural Literacy Curriculum Framework was composed of two state representatives from each of the four AITC Consortium regions. The individuals were identified by the AITC Consortium Executive Committee to represent the following regions: Central Region Mr. Alan Withers, Minnesota AITC MN Department of Agriculture 625 Robert Street North St. Paul, MN 55155 651-201-6688 alan.withers@state.mn.us Ms. Isabella Chism, Indiana AITC Indiana Farm Bureau 225 S. East Street Indianapolis, IN 46206 317-692-7830 ichism@infarmbureau.org Western Region Ms. Debra Spielmaker, Utah AITC Utah State University 2315 Old Main Hill Logan, UT 84322 435-213-5562 debra.spielmaker@usu.edu Ms. Monica Pastor, Arizona AITC U of Arizona Cooperative Extension, Maricopa County 4341 E. Broadway Road Phoenix, AZ 85040 602-827-8200 mpastor@cals.arizona.edu Southern Region Ms. Vonne Knight, South Carolina AITC South Carolina Farm Bureau P.O. Box 754 Columbia, SC 29202 803-936-4237 vknight@scfb.org Mr. Chris Fleming, Tennessee AITC Tennessee Farm Bureau P.O. Box 313 Columbia, TN 38402 931-388-7872, ext. 2759 cfleming@tfbf.com Eastern Region Ms. Heather Davis, New York AITC Cornell University - Department of Education 106 Kennedy Hall Ithaca, NY 14853 607-255-9253 hed24@cornell.edu Ms. Willie Grenier, Maine AITC Maine Agriculture in the Classroom Council 28 State House Station Augusta, ME 04333 207-287-5522 maitca@maine.gov Key questions that guided the Advisory Council: 1. Why was the Agricultural Literacy Curriculum Map project developed? 2. What are the purposes and objectives of the Ag Literacy Curriculum NIFA grant? 3. What is the perspective of AITC consortium members on how the curriculum map would be used? 4. What are the essential elements of an agricultural literacy curriculum map? 5. What agencies/organizations should be considered for funding the actual development of the agricultural literacy curriculum map? 6. What time line would be possible? PRODUCTS: Multi-year plan was developed: 2010-2011 Development of plan to revise the Food and Fiber Systems Literacy Curriculum Framework 2011-2012 Revise Framework content, organization and disseminatation startegy 2012-2014 Pilot test revised ag literacy curriculum framework/curriculum map and disseminate to all of the states by December 2014. OUTCOMES: Essential Elements of an Agricultural Literacy Map were identified and agreed upon by the advisory committee for phase II of this project: 1. Map should integrate the current common core state standards for English/Language Arts (and Literacy in History/Social Studies, Science and Technical Subjects) and Mathematics 2. National academic standards to include: a. Science i. Life Science ii. Chemistry iii. Physics b. Social Studies i. Geography ii. Economics iii. US History iv. World History v. State History c. Nutrition & Health d. Career Awareness 3. Map should outline the agriculture, food & environment science content (Agriculture, food and the environment content will be the contextual vehicle for teaching common core and academic standards) 4. Teaching Strategies - How are agriculture and academic content areas taught? a. Emphasis on discovery, experiential/hands-on and differentiated instructional approaches 5. Student Outcomes - What students should understand and be able to do? a. Measurement of student achievement will include assessment of academic and agricultural knowledge and understanding. Notes: The High-Stakes Tests measure student indicators or abilities to accomplish certain tasks. We need to have the ability to access these student indicators. This document will be used by state curriculum developers to develop lesson pieces that address common core standards. What agricultural terminology should be used? What is agriculture? Words that describe agriculture: food, land, people, fabric, energy, shelter, fuel, environment, flowers, renewable resources, farming, forestry, pharming, basis of civilization. Agriculture is everything except hunter/gatherers. WTF: without the farmer, where's the food! Where would you be without agriculture? DISSEMINATION ACTIVITIES: A resolution was developed for the 2011 Ag in the Classroom National Conference to communicate the progress of this project with the National Ag in the Classroom Consortium and to ascertain their level of interest and support for phase II of this project. Following is the summary paragraph of the resolution that was approved at the June 2011 National Ag in the Classroom Conference by the consortium of state representatives: Therefore, be it resolved that the National Ag in the Classroom Consortium supports the development of a national agricultural literacy curriculum map (framework). This map will display and describe the connection between agricultural content and common core/ national academic standards as described above. The agricultural literacy curriculum map is proposed to be developed in 2011-2012 with field testing in 2012-2014. Funding for development of the curriculum map will be a joint effort of AITC and the University of Minnesota. Agencies and organizations indicating an interest or may have an interest in collaborating include: National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) Secondary and Post-secondary Challenge Grant Program, NIFA- Agricultural Literacy Multi-state Agricultural Experiment Station Project (W-1006), National Research Council - Board on Agriculture, National Science Foundation, and CHS Foundation. FUTURE INITIATIVES: Phase II (2011-2012) continuation of this project will focus on the development of the Agricultural Literacy Curriculum Map with cross-references to the core academic standards identified in Phase I of the project. Phase III (2012-2014)continuation of this project will focus on field testing of the Agricultural Literacy Curriculum Map in selected states. Results of the field testing will inform revisions needed prior to national dissimination by December 2014.

Impacts
The development of a national agricultural literacy curriculum map was supported by the National Ag in the Classroom Consortium of States. This curriculum map will provide an overall vision and guide for curriculum planners and state leaders to unify the subject matter content and integrate core academic standards.

Publications

  • No publications reported this period