Professional Development
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Explore Iowa Agriculture: Engaging Professional Development for Educators
Each summer, the Iowa Agriculture Literacy Foundation (IALF) offers dynamic, two-day professional development workshops designed for K-12 teachers, extension personnel, and anyone who educates youth.
Each workshop takes participants to a different region of the state, where they’ll experience agriculture firsthand through immersive farm tours hosted in partnership with local farmers, agribusinesses, and industry experts. Educators see, touch, and taste agriculture while discovering innovative ways to integrate it into their curriculum to support Iowa Core standards. Engaging discussions with agricultural professionals provide valuable insights into the industry and its connections to classroom learning.
These engaging, fast-paced workshops emphasize STEM and social studies, using agriculture as a lens to make learning more relevant and impactful. Educators gain practical strategies to incorporate agriculture into science, social studies, language arts, and math—bringing real-world applications into their classrooms. Participants leave with ready-to-use lesson plans, student engagement activities, and hands-on learning tools.
The two-day, in-person workshop is completely free and includes on-site tours, interactive activities, resource materials, lunches, and more! Educators can also earn professional development credit:
One Licensure Renewal Credit: Available through AEA for $50
One Graduate Credit: Offered through Grand View University or Morningside College for $140
Watch this page and our social media channels for an announcement next spring about our 2026 Summer Professional Development Workshop series.