THE GOAL OF FARM TO CLASSROOM: AGRICULTURE IN THE CLASSROOM PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM IS TO STRENGTHEN THE TEACHINGOF AGRICULTURAL LITERACY IN THE K-12 CLASSROOM. AGRICULTURAL LITERACY AND PROGRAMS SUCH AS AG IN THE CLASSROOM (AITC) ARE VITALLYIMPORTANT WHEN YOUTH ARE ON AVERAGE THREE TO FOUR GENERATIONS REMOVED FROM THE FARM AND LACK UNDERSTANDING OF THE IMPORTANTROLE FARMING PLAYS IN THEIR DAILY LIVES. THE EFFORTS LINKED TO THIS PROPOSAL WILL HELP ADDRESS EDUCATIONAL NEEDS FOR NEARLY ALL OF THEAFRI PRIORITY AREAS. EDUCATIONAL PRODUCTS DEVELOPED WILL FOCUS ON THE VAST AGRICULTURAL DIVERSITY THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI HAS TOOFFER INCLUDING TOP COMMODITIES OF POULTRY, FORESTRY, SOYBEANS, COTTON, CORN, CATFISH, SWEET POTATOES AND MORE (MISSISSIPPIDEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND COMMERCE, 2019).THIS PROPOSAL WILL ENHANCE AGRICULTURAL LITERACY PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT IN MISSISSIPPI THREE-FOLD. FIRST, THE PROJECT TEAM WILLINSTITUTE TEACHER PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES TO TRAIN TEACHERS (BOTH PRE-SERVICE AND IN-SERVICE) ON HOW TO INTEGRATEAGRICULTURAL EDUCATION LESSONS INTO THE CORE CURRICULUM (ENGLISH/LANGUAGE ARTS (ELA), MATHEMATICS, SCIENCE, AND SOCIAL STUDIES).BY TAKING TIME TO EDUCATE TEACHERS TO USE THE UPDATED AITC CURRICULUM AND THE FARMTASTIC CURRICULUM WE CAN HOPEFULLY ENSURETHAT THE MATERIALS ARE BEING PRESENTED AND USED IN A MANNER THAT CAN BE EVALUATED AND ASSESSED. FURTHER, INSTRUCTION IN THECORE FOUR STANDARDS PROVIDE ADDITIONAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR CROSS-CURRICULAR COLLABORATIONS AND INTEGRATED INSTRUCTION.SECOND, AS TEACHERS ARE TRAINED TO ACCESS AND USE THE UPDATED CURRICULUM THEY WILL BE IDENTIFIED AS AG LITERACY AMBASSADORSFOR THE K-8TH GRADE AITC CURRICULUM. THESE AMBASSADORS WILL BE RESOURCES TO OTHER TEACHERS INTERESTED IN ADDING AGRICULTURALCONCEPTS TO THEIR COURSE CURRICULUM. WITHIN THIS PROPOSAL, THE TERM TEACHERS WILL INCLUDE BOTH PRE- AND IN-SERVICE TEACHERS,BROADLY ENCOMPASSING ALL MISSISSIPPI AGRICULTURE, ELA, MATHEMATICS, SCIENCE, AND SOCIAL STUDIES TEACHERS IN GRADES 6-12,TEACHERS WITH ELEMENTARY AND MIDDLE SCHOOL ENDORSEMENTS, AND SECONDARY MISSISSIPPI STATE UNIVERSITY PRESERVICE TEACHERS.ANY TEACHERS IN THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI WILL BE ENCOURAGED TO PARTICIPATE IN THE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND CONTINUEADVOCATING FOR AGRICULTURAL LITERACY AS TEACHER AMBASSADORS.THE THIRD COMPONENT OF THIS PROPOSAL IS THE DEVELOPMENT OF AN ONLINE INTEGRATION TOOL FOR EDUCATORS TO ACCESS MULTIPLE FORMS OFAGRICULTURAL LITERACY RESOURCES, PROGRAMMING, AND CURRICULUM ALL IN ONE USE-FRIENDLY WEB-BASED INTERFACE. THE "FARM TOCLASSROOM COLLABORATIVE" WEBSITE WILL PROVIDE RESOURCES FOR EDUCATORS WHO ARE INTERESTED IN INTEGRATING AGRICULTURAL LESSONS INTOTHEIR CLASSROOM LEARNING EXPERIENCES. THESE RESOURCES INCLUDE CONTACT AND ENROLLMENT INFORMATION FOR MSU EXTENSIONPROGRAMMING, LINKS TO MISSISSIPPI AITC CURRICULUM, LINKS FOR OTHER AGRICULTURAL-BASED PROGRAMS, ACTIVITIES, AND LESSONS INMISSISSIPPI AND ACROSS THE NATION. ALL THREE COMPONENTS OF THIS PROJECT WILL BE EVALUATED AND THE FINDINGS WILL BE SHARED WITHOTHER STATES IN AN EFFORT TO INFORM AND IMPROVE AGRICULTURAL LITERACY PROGRAMS ACROSS THE NATION.