Happy New Year from Louisiana Ag in the Classroom!

We certainly hope that you had a great Christmas and that you are ready to begin this
New Year rolling.  This is the time of year where
everyone begins setting goals that they hope
to continue throughout the entire year.  It is our
hope that you include teaching agriculture in your
resolutions for 2010.  Children are our future and
it is important that they understand just how vital
agriculture is to our lives.  

This month we are highlighting gardening.
Gardening is an excellent way to begin the
adventure of agriculture and allows everyone
regardless of age to be a farmer.  Countless
activities can be found to facilitate learning with
gardening in relation to many core subject areas.
Be sure to check
here the National Gardening
Association website to find many activities and
lessons.

A great “Ag” Tivity that you may want to share is
“Sprouting Fingers.” In this activity, your students
will have the opportunity to grow many types of
seeds in a fun and neat way that is sure to get them excited about gardening.

Click here to download the ag-tivity

Check out the book, Lily’s Garden, written by Deborah Kogan Ray. It is on Illinois Top 15 agriculture
book list.

The opening spread of Ray's (Hokusai) well-conceived picture book shows a winter scene and an
empty house up the street from narrator Lily's, where her grandparents lived before they moved from
Maine to California. Even though they will not be reunited until Christmas, the bond between Lily and
her grandparents remains strong, thanks to their shared love of gardening. Ray traces their
communications from January to December (one month per spread). As Lily describes the progress of
her outdoor efforts, Grandma responds with tips and encouragement. In June, for instance, " `I always
loved bunnies. Now, I know why Grandpa sometimes calls them pesky critters,' I told Grandma." The
accompanying scene depicts Lily at the moment she discovers the remains of her lettuce, as the cotton-
tailed thieves make their escape. Grandma advises, "Ask Mom to put camphor balls around your
garden. The smell makes the bunnies stay away." Related sidebars on the left of each spread offer
additional information about gardening and related topics: a recipe for blueberry pancakes for August
and, for November, a brief history of harvest celebrations. Ray's realistic artwork portrays the way light
changes from the fluorescence of winter to the orange glow that blankets the world in autumn. An
accessible guide to gardening and a constructive way to cope with an absent loved one. Ages 4-8.

What is January known for in relation to agriculture?

National Egg Month

National Meat Month

Homemade Bread Month

January:

(5) Bean Day

(11) Milk Day

(13) Dairy Day

(17) All about Horses Day

(19) National Popcorn Day

(20) Cheese Lovers Day

(21)  Chicken Day

(22) Think about planting Day

(28) Blueberry Day
AITC VIDEO NEWS