P.P1 {MARGIN: 0.0PX 0.0PX 0.0PX 0.0PX; TIMES NEW ROMAN'; MIN-HEIGHT: 15.0PX} P.P2 {MARGIN: 0.0PX 0.0PX 0.0PX 0.0PX; TIMES NEW ROMAN'} SPAN.S1 {TIMES NEW ROMAN'}THE GOAL OF THIS PROJECT IS TO INCREASE AGRICULTURAL LITERACY OF K-8 TEACHERS AND HELP THEM APPRECIATE STEM CONCEPTS THAT CAN BE TAUGHT USING FOOD PRODUCTION AS A FRAMEWORK. WE WILL ACCOMPLISH THIS BY PROVIDING TEACHERS: 1) IMMERSIVE AGRICULTURAL STEM, PRODUCTION, AND PUBLIC POLICY EXPERIENCES; 2) A SELF-SUSTAINING SUPPORT NETWORK OF UNIVERSITY FACULTY, FOOD PRODUCERS, AND ALLIED BUSINESSES; AND 3) PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT FOCUSED ON THE CUTTING-EDGE USE OF TECHNOLOGY IN THE CLASSROOM, PROBLEM-BASED LEARNING PEDAGOGY, AND THE USE OF THE AG IN THE CLASSROOM (AITC) CURRICULA. THIS PROGRAM WILL WORK TO INSPIRE STUDENTS WHO WILL BE ENTERING THE WORKFORCE IN 2030 AND LATER, AND SO NEEDS TO CHALLENGE THEM TO THINK ABOUT FOOD PRODUCTION BEYOND WHAT IT IS TODAY, AND BEYOND WHAT IT IS HERE ON EARTH. AT THE END OF EACH COHORT YEAR, TEACHERS AND THEIR STUDENTS WILL PARTICIPATE IN A PUBLIC EXHIBITION, ATTENDED BY THE DEAN OF THE COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE AND LIFE SCIENCES, AND THE PRESIDENT OF THE NC FARM BUREAU, WHERE THEY WILL PRESENT THEIR SOLUTIONS TO THE CHALLENGE OF HOW TO PRODUCE CHICKENS ON MARS. AT THE END OF THIS PROJECT, WE EXPECT, THE TEACHERS WILL HAVE FORMED PRODUCTIVE, LONG-TERM, WORKING PARTNERSHIPS WITH THEIR LOCAL FARM BUREAU, WITH FACULTY AT NC STATE, AS WELL AS DEVELOPED PROBLEM-BASED AG-STEM TEACHING PROGRAMS. THE RELATIONSHIPS DEVELOPED DURING THIS PROJECT WILL ENSURE THE CONTINUATION OF THE "CHICKEN NUGGETS ON MARS" INQUIRY CHALLENGE BY THESE TEACHERS, AND THE SPREAD OF THIS APPROACH TO OTHER CLASSROOMS AROUND NORTH CAROLINA AND BEYOND.