Clinton Co Ag In The Classroom Coalition

05/28/2026

Great way to get free books to be used in the classroom.

05/26/2026

Fun book activity!

Enjoy the story of The Pie that Molly Grew by Sue Heavenrich and then teach kids about the life cycle of pumpkins with the AITC lesson Pumpkin Chain.

Want to see all of the book and activity suggestions? Check out IAITC entire Summer Reading Companion here https://www.agintheclassroom.org/blog/iaitc-blog-post/iread-2026/

Find the individual lesson here: https://www.agintheclassroom.org/pumpkin/posts/pumpkin-chain/

iREAD Program
Sue Heavenrich - Children's author

05/19/2026

This is such a fun book!

Read Worm Makes a Sandwich by Brianne Farley and fascinate kids with the exciting world of vermicomposting -- compost made by worms!

Want to see all of the book and activity suggestions? Check out IAITC entire Summer Reading Companion here https://www.agintheclassroom.org/blog/iaitc-blog-post/iread-2026/

Find the individual lesson here: https://www.agintheclassroom.org/gardening-and-farmers-markets/posts/classroom-vermicomposting/

iREAD Program

05/18/2026

It’s May and therefore the school year has come to a close for the AITC program here in Clinton Co.
The fourth grade students had an excellent year learning about everything from Roads, Rivers and Rails to Fields, Floods, Forestry.
The kids got to find out more about the various products produced in IL and how we can all help take care of our earth 🌍 each day.
In April the students took a trip across the world to find all the ingredients needed to make an apple 🍎 pie. Believe it or not the majority of those ingredients such as wheat 🌾, butter 🧈, eggs 🥚 and apples 🍏 can be found right here inside our state border!

Each year Mrs. Kleiboeker asks the fourth-graders what their favorite lessons for the year are. This year the kids listed learning about nutrition and how much sugar is in soda, playing The Wheel of Pumpkin 🎃 and learning about how pumpkins are a part of literature and IL, the IL state symbols and how Route 66 got started in IL and to dance the Charleston like they did in 1926 in celebration of the 100th birthday of the Mother Road! But by far the favorite lesson of the year was playing Mrs. Kleiboeker’s game of Life. The kids got to trade commodities without realizing it until the end. They then learned that they could have all the money 💰 and gold in the world but without clean air, the sun ☀️ above, healthy soil, fresh water and the plants 🪴 we grow, none of us would survive.

05/15/2026

Want to have fun, learn and get credit at the same time? This 2 day workshop is just what you need.

Recently had some slots open up for the summer teacher workshop. Sign up today!

05/15/2026

During the 2025-2026 school year, the AITC program launched a new partnership with the Carlyle FFA program called Sprout 🌱 Scouts. The premise of the program is to promote agricultural awareness in younger students while helping high school students develop leadership skills in the classroom setting.

This year, four young ladies participated in this new initiative and did an amazing job. Over the course of the year, the girls visited a second- and third-grade class once a month to teach a program about agriculture. The photos below are from the April lesson. The Sprout 🌱 Scouts taught the grade school kids how plants grow from seed to flower and the things needed to make that a successful process. The 2nd/3rd-grade students designed and decorated their planters, then put in the dirt and seeds.

Because of the resourcefulness and enthusiasm of these four students, the Clinton Co AITC has decided to expand the Sprout 🌱 Scouts into each of the local high schools. The administration and FFA teachers have been contacted and are looking for possible candidates for the 2026-2027 school year. Keep a lookout for more information about this opportunity and partnership in our community.

05/05/2026

We appreciate all your hard work today and every day!

Today (and every day!) let's thank all the teachers who have had such amazing impacts on the lives of children.

From all of us at Illinois Agriculture in the Classroom, thanks for all you do, teachers!

04/29/2026

Need some continuing education credits or just enjoy learning? Then sign up for the Summer Ag Tours class. We are going to a winery, learn about bees and you’ll come home with many new hands on activities to bring back into your classroom.
Sign up today!

Teachers, it's that time of year again!

Sign up for our Summer Ag Institute being offered June 9 & 10.

Join us for two days of exciting professional development, including lesson and activity ideas, resource sharing, and unique farm/ag tours!

Register online: https://pci.jotform.com/form/260396410258154

04/16/2026

We still have a few opening for the Summer Teacher Workshop.
Contact me today to sign up for the class.

Teachers, it's that time of year again!

Sign up for our Summer Ag Institute being offered June 9 & 10.

Join us for two days of exciting professional development, including lesson and activity ideas, resource sharing, and unique farm/ag tours!

Register online: https://pci.jotform.com/form/260396410258154

04/02/2026

Grant opportunity for teachers/classrooms.

Christina Sue Lilja Resource Grants provides funds for educators to purchase ag literacy resources from the Ag Foundation store.

03/19/2026

Today was Sprout 🌱 Scouts Day at the grade school in Carlyle.
The theme for the day was Leprechauns and the gold (crops) at the end of the rainbow 🌈.
The second and third grade students learned about the crops grown in Ireland 🇮🇪 and the animals they raise.
The kids all had a great time learning about Ireland and the farming that takes place there.