Educators from El Dorado and Amador counties are invited to attend the Teacher’s Ag Summer Institute set for June 19-21.

The workshop will bring together classroom teachers, farmers, ranchers, environmental educators and agricultural and natural resource specialists to gain a deeper understanding of agricultural systems and how they sustain the health of people, society, and the natural environment. Teachers will gain an expanded understanding of what agriculture brings to our local community, while providing students with new opportunities to practice critical thinking skills in the classroom, utilizing resources and experiences provided at the teacher institute.

The Teacher’s Ag Summer Institute combines hands-on, field experiences and sample classroom activities to immerse participants in the vital world of agriculture. Daily topics center around sustainable agriculture themes and are tied to California state curriculum standards to ensure ease in incorporating lessons into the classroom.

Topics will include conservation and stewardship practices; land use and zoning issues; ecological services provided by crop, forest and rangelands; water utilization and conservation; production, marketing and distribution systems; economic and business considerations and the historical context of agriculture in the region.

Field activities will be conducted at working ranches, orchards, farms, forest lands and vineyards located throughout El Dorado County. Educators need little or no background in agriculture to attend the institute.

A $75 participation fee covers transportation to the field sites from the workshop base in Coloma, lunches and all resource materials.

Teachers will prepare and present a lesson plan or class activity, developed from resources and experiences gleaned while attending TASI at a “Back to the Farm” event in July.

Optional continuing education credits will be offered for the workshop series.

Registration is available online; space is limited and teachers are encouraged to register as soon as possible.

For more information contact Wendy West, at (530) 621.5533 or wkwest@ucdavis.edu.