2007 NEW YORK AG LITERACY DAY
March 21, 2007

WHAT IS NY AG LITERACY DAY?

WHO WILL PARTICIPATE?

Partners and sponsors to date include:

• New York Agriculture in the Classroom
• NY Farm Bureau
• Cornell Cooperative Extension
• NYS Department of Ag & Markets
• NYS Education Department
• Cornell Farm to School Program
• NYS Agricultural Educators and FFA
• NYFarms!
• LEAD NY
• Spoons Across America

Let us know if you are interested in becoming a partner or sponsor.

Please help us foster agricultural literacy and educate students about the significance of our food and fiber system by participating in NY Ag Literacy Day. We are asking our friends throughout New York's agriculture industry and food system to volunteer to go into a local elementary classroom, read the designated book and talk to students about the importance of New York agriculture to their daily lives.

THE BOOK:

The designated book for 2007 is Lily's Garden by Deborah Kogan Ray (Roaring Brook Press). Lily's Garden creates a calendar of the year seen through the lens of things planted, grown, and harvested and dramatized in Lily's letters and phone calls to her far-away grandparents. The procession of months and the change of seasons in a Northeast farm community, and ultimately the passage of an entire year in the garden are celebrated in this captivating and informative book. The entire food and fiber system from seed to table is outlined. Ray's colorful and detailed art is perfectly suited to the natural setting.

GRADE LEVEL:

We are targeting second grade classrooms with the book Lily's Garden. If it works better in a particular school, it could be read in first or third grade as an alternative. Ideally, reading will take place at the classroom level so there is an opportunity for students to ask questions and participate in a discussion.

HOW WILL THE EVENT BE FUNDED?

We are currently seeking funding to purchase books and will be seeking product donations (e.g. seeds for sprouting or vegetables for tasting). Supplemental activities will be funded on the local level.

HOW CAN I GET INVOLVED?

• SPONSORS AND PARTNERS - If you would like to help with state-level planning or publicity, or become a sponsor or partner, please contact Ag Outreach and Education Director Perry Dewey. A sponsor might provide materials, funding for books, or product donations. Partner organizations will help publicize the event, provide local coordination, and/or recruit readers.
• COUNTY COORDINATOR - We will designate a coordinator or co-coordinators in each county. This person will help promote the event, recruit readers, handle books, and provide a communications link with schools and readers.
• TEACHERS - If you are interested in having someone read in your classroom, contact the designated County Coordinator or NY Ag in the Classroom. A list of county coordinators will be posted on the NYAITC web site at www.cerp.cornell.edu/aitc.
• READERS - If you can volunteer to be a reader, contact your local school/schools to make sure they will be able to accommodate a visit and then send in the Volunteer Reader form and you will be contacted with more information. It is your responsibility to schedule the visit with the school.

If you have questions, please direct them to Perry Dewey, or one of the other members of the planning committee. Perry can be contacted at ptd7@cornell.edu or 607-255-9252. Forms and information will be available at the NYAITC web site at www.cerp,cornell.edu/aitc.

WHAT OTHER SUPPLEMENTAL ACTIVITIES CAN BE PLANNED AT THE LOCAL LEVEL?

• Sprout seeds in classroom
• Sponsor a tasting of one of the many foods mentioned in Lily's Garden
• Involve the local Dairy Princess or Ambassador
• Invite FFA or 4-H members to bring garden tools, products, or help plant seeds for your school garden!
• Activities and recipes related to the produce in Lily's garden are included in sidebars in the book.
• Partner with the cafeteria to make one of the recipes in the book, or other foods using NY products.
• Organize an Ag Field Day on a local farm (most likely later in the spring)
• Identify dairy farms willing to offer field trips locally (most likely later in the spring) and watch them plant a field of corn, oats, beans or another crop
• Building bird feeders similar to the ones in Lily's Garden
• Use Ag Week materials to plan additional activities, (www.agday.org)
• Additional activities will be made available on the NYATC website (www.cerp.cornell.edu/aitc)

RESOURCES AVAILABLE:

• NY Ag Literacy Day web page
• Reader guidelines
• Publicity ideas
• County Coordinator guidelines
• Additional lessons for teachers
• Letter to school administrator
• Ag Week materials
• Press release template to use locally

PLANNING COMMITTEE:

Martha Goodsell, NYFarms!
Nancy Weber, Farm Bureau Promotion & Education
Carolyn Belle, 2nd-Grade Teacher, Ithaca City School District
Travis Park, Cornell Department of Education
Perry Dewey, Director of Cornell Agricultural
Outreach and Education
Vince Lalli, New York Agriculture in the Classroom