IAITC Blog

Read the latest updates from the IL Ag in the Classroom Team!

Elf on the Shelf with Illinois Ag in the Classroom

Refreshed for 2024 with five NEW scenes: our fan-favorite Elf on the Shelf resource booklet! This booklet contains 25 agriculture-themed Elf on the Shelf ideas, complete with example photos, materials needed, setup information, book recommendations, ag facts to share, and activities to pair.

Rows of Resources: Corn and Soybean Activities

Thanks to April showers aplenty this year, most Illinois farmers will spend the first part of this month planting rows and rows of Illinois' top agriculture commodities: corn and soybeans, and we will follow suit by sharing rows and rows of our favorite corn and soybean resources!

STEM and Inquiry in Agriculture

Fun, hands-on activities to get students thinking and problem solving by carrying out STEM and inquiry challenges with connections to agriculture.

iREAD 2024

Check out Illinois Ag in the Classroom's iREAD 2024 Summer Reading Companion, complete with ag-accurate book recommendations and accompanying IAITC lessons all aligned with iREAD's summer 2024 theme: Read, Renew, Repeat!

Everything Earth Day: Earth Day & Sustainability Resources

As the weather warms into spring, many teachers and students are antsy to start getting back outside during the school day. Over 95% of primary and secondary schools across the country do just that on April 22nd each year - Earth Day! This month on the blog, we will highlight our favorite Earth Day and Sustainability activities that you can use to help you celebrate.

March at the Market: Gardening and Farmers Market Resources

Spring has officially sprung and farmers all over Illinois are gearing up for the 2024 gardening and farmers market season! This month on the blog, we will help your students warm up with our favorite farmers market, gardening, and specialty crop resources.

Illinois History and Agriculture

In between Valentine's Day celebrations and longing for spring, we often dedicate time in February to learning about Illinois History and celebrating Illinois' important contributions to our country and its agriculture. In this month's blog, we will highlight some of our favorite Illinois lessons, from everyone's favorite 16th U.S. President to the history and scale of our booming agriculture industry.

"Zines"

Have your students craft their own maga"zines" to learn more about a variety of agricultural topics!