FIELDS OF LEARNING
Growing School - Farm Partnerships
The Fields of Learning Program pairs a school with a local farm to enhance students’ education through hands-on agricultural experiences. This ongoing relationship between the school and local farm includes three farm visits per year and gives children the opportunity to learn about local agriculture and its role in their community.
If you have any questions regarding Fields of Learning, please contact us at info@agintheclass-edc.org.
You can help by sponsoring Fields of Learning! Sponsorships guarantee that this program is accessible to any school in El Dorado County regardless of their budgetary constraints.
Teaching a growing generation by providing high quality educational programs to increase awareness of the importance of agriculture in our lives.
WHAT IS FIELDS OF LEARNING?
The Fields of Learning program brings together Next Generation Science Standards and Common Core State Standards in an environment that is hands-on and relevant to students. By not only exploring the items grown on the farm, but also its environment and its changes and impacts (e.g., an empty pond from the drought), the program allows students to delve into all the disciplinary core ideas of life science. Learning stations and tours of the farm cut across the concepts of science in patterns, similarity, and diversity; cause and effect; scale, proportion and quantity; systems and system models; energy and matter; structure and function; stability and change. All of this, while students develop an understanding and appreciation of the county’s agriculture and its role in their everyday lives.
Program includes:
- Fields of Learning Coordinator to perform logistical coordination between the teacher and the farmer for visits.
- Three seasonal ½ day (AM) field trips to an El Dorado County farm, including a walk/talk with a farmer, and a minimum of three on-site hands-on educational stations.
- One program kick-off classroom visit from our Fields of Learning Coordinator.
- Access to and consulting on additional resources and lesson plans to continue farm lessons back in the classroom.
- Farm-assigned FFA student leaders to work with and be a role model for your students.
WHO AND WHERE ARE THE FARM PARTNERS?
Farm partners range from the small farm stand type location of 24 Carrot and Rockney Farm, to the more traditional vision of an Apple Hill farm of Rainbow Orchards, to the ever-diversifying, but rooted in Christmas Trees, Harris Family Farm, from the vineyards-meets-apples-meets-chestnut trees of Smokey Ridge Ranch, to one of the highest vineyards in California, the environmentally-friendly Madroña. From Placerville to Pollock Pines, from Camino to Gold Hill, our education locations are varied, but each one is rich in educational opportunities. We know that transportation costs are a huge part of a school's ability to participate in this program and we work as best we can to make school-farm matches that minimize transportation costs.
WHO CAN PARTICIPATE IN FIELDS OF LEARNING?
Fields of Learning is open to an entire grade level, 2nd-8th, at any school in El Dorado County at the low cost of $375 per class (no charge for teachers or chaperons). Grade levels are welcome from public, private, parochial, and charter schools.
REGISTRATION AND ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Registration for the school year will open in August.
Before signing up, please review:
Farm Visit Guidelines
HOW IS FIELDS OF LEARNING FUNDED?
The cost of the Fields of Learning Experience is $375 per classroom. This cost is supplemented by the generous donations of our sponsors and donors, farm partners and volunteers, including the student teaching assistants from Ponderosa High School Future Farmers of America chapter. As a charitable, non-profit organization, El Dorado County Ag in the Classroom appreciates our sponsors’ generous support that is vital for the continued success of our educational programs, and we are grateful.
For information to help grow this program please visit the Make a Donation, Become a Sponsor Page, and/or Become a Farm Partner
