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The Matrix is in a classroom near you – not the 1999 hit movie, but a blockbuster nonetheless.
The National Agricultural Literacy Curriculum Matrix is a new approach to grow agricultural literacy among K-12 students. The Matrix, part of the National Agriculture in the Classroom’s (AITC) website, is an online collection of educational resources that are relevant, engaging, and designed to meet the educational requirements and agricultural literacy outcomes for formal educators.
“The Matrix is essentially a three-dimensional curriculum map,” said Dr. Debra Spielmaker, AITC project director. A curriculum map includes standards and objectives, lesson plans, supportive or companion resources, and assessments that help teachers get students from point A to point B in terms of learning.
USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) supports National AITC with a $437,000 grant to Utah State University Extension to develop and conduct programs and initiatives as well as a national website, online curriculum map, resource directory, professional development, and regional AITC meetings.
National AITC activated the Matrix on August 4, 2014, and, and has added nearly 30 lesson plans and other companion resources that support instruction. The Matrix also serves the needs of AITC programs within each state. “State programs needed a system where teachers could find quality materials that meet educational standards – a teacher’s first priority,” Spielmaker said. “This site, available 24/7 worldwide, supports teachers regardless of state program, funding, or size.”
The Matrix is a collaborative effort where agriculture literacy professionals submit resources for inclusion to the database. Those materials are reviewed and evaluated based on how well they connect with agriculture literacy outcomes, content standards, and Common Core standards.
Teachers at all grade levels can access the Matrix materials through an easy-to-use search engine on the National AITC website. For example, a search of “dairy” reveals two lesson plans – grades K-2 and 3-5 – as well as a companion activity (making butter in a baby food jar), three booklets (one downloadable), a companion resource (making cottage cheese in the classroom), and a companion resource website that features a cleverly-produced science fiction tale of an alien race finding much-needed calcium in Earthly cows.
Ag in the Classroom lessons and resources reach about 6.5 million students in nearly every state and U.S. territory.
Through federal funding and leadership for research, education, and extension programs, NIFA focuses on investing in science and solving critical issues impacting people's daily lives and the nation's future. For more information, visit www.nifa.usda.gov.