A Bushel of Stories
2023-2024 Theme: Coming Soon!
Inspiring Young Authors...Writing About Agriculture!
Write about agriculture with the potential to become a published author! Begin planning your agriculture story today!
Iowa students in grades 3-8 are welcome to participate in this competition.
A Bushel of Stories has been made possible with cooperation between the Iowa Agriculture Literacy Foundation and the National Agriculture in the Classroom Organization.
Rules Judge's Rubrics Previous Year's Books
Student Resources
- Nonfiction Writing Organizer
- Nonfiction Writing Checklist
- Fiction Writing Checklist
- Video interview with an author (Katie Olthoff)
- Video interview with an author (Jacqueline Briggs Martin)
Teacher Resources
Teachers can use these lessons to help teach the writing process and prepare students to enter the contest. Each lesson includes instructions for in-person learning as well as a virtual adaptation.
Grades 3-5
- Lesson 1 - Book Basics: Students will learn features of books including authors, illustrators, fiction vs nonfiction, writing perspectives, the purpose of a story, and will analyze these features in agricultural books.
- Lesson 2 - Publication Production: Students will learn about how books are written and produced, from the author’s idea to the library.
- Lesson 3 - Real Writing: Students will learn writing skills and practice them by creating their own fiction or non-fiction story about agriculture or food production.
Grades 6-8
- Lesson 1 - Book Basics: Students will learn features of books including authors, illustrators, fiction vs nonfiction, writing perspectives, the purpose of a story, and will analyze these features in agricultural books.
- Lesson 2 - Publication Production: Students will learn about how books are written and produced, from the author’s idea to the library.
- Lesson 3 - Real Writing: Students will learn writing skills and practice them by creating their own fiction or non-fiction story about agriculture or food production.