The College of Agricultural Sciences at Oregon State University is Oregon's principal source of knowledge relating to agricultural and food systems, and a major source of knowledge regarding environmental quality, natural resources, life sciences, and rural economies and communities worldwide. The College provides undergraduate and graduate education leading to baccalaureate and graduate degrees, and extended education programs throughout Oregon and beyond. Its research programs create knowledge to solve problems and to build a knowledge base for the future. It is a source of information and expertise in integrating and applying knowledge with benefits that are felt in domestic and international settings.
This is the 13th year that Oregon Agriculture in the Classroom hosted the statewide Agricultural Literacy Project which improves both the literacy of Oregon’s young readers and their knowledge of agriculture. Each year a new agriculturally-themed book is chosen with a lesson plan developed based on themes in the book. Then trained volunteers visit classrooms, read the featured book and lead the associated activity with the students reinforcing the message of the book. This year’s featured book is The Girl Who Thought in Pictures: The Story of Dr. Temple Grandin by Julia Finley Mosca.
This book tells the story of renowned animal scientist, Dr. Temple Grandin and her innovative contributions to animal agriculture. This remarkable story follows Temple’s journey as she navigates through school as a child with autism overcoming adversity, to designing livestock handling systems used worldwide. This subject allows us the opportunity to celebrate the diverse students within our communities empowering student’s differences and reinforcing messages of kindness to creatures of all kinds. Each year, College of Agricultural Sciences students and staff from a variety of different departments, student clubs and organizations visit classrooms. Sign up to read to a classroom and spread agricultural literacy! You can also contact us at 541-737-8629 or email aitc@oregonstate.edu!
Additionally, Oregon students in grades K-6 are invited to submit original artwork about Oregon agriculture for the annual Oregon Agriculture in the Classroom Calendar Art Contest! Entries are due May 6, 2020.
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Oregon Agriculture in the Classroom is a nonprofit program housed in the College of Agricultural Sciences at Oregon State University. The program promotes using agriculture to teach science, math, history, nutrition and other subjects across existing curriculum in K-12 educational programs throughout the state and provides free curriculum, resources and training to K-12 educators.