** AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** THE FARM TO CLASSROOM: EXPLORING MISSISSIPPI AGRICULTURE AND NATURAL RESOURCES IN VIRTUAL REALITY (F2CVR) PROJECT SEEKS TO ENHANCE K-6 EDUCATION IN MISSISSIPPI BY STRENGTHENING AGRICULTURAL SCIENCE AND LITERACY. THE PROJECT'S MAIN OBJECTIVES ARE AS FOLLOWS: OBJECTIVE 1: DEVELOP A VIRTUAL REALITY (VR) APP SHOWCASING MISSISSIPPI'S AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION FOR IMMERSIVE LEARNING IN K-6 CLASSROOMS, OBJECTIVE 2: ENHANCE TEACHERS' KNOWLEDGE OF AGRICULTURAL SCIENCE AND LITERACY THROUGH AN EXTENDED, MICRO CREDENTIALED, ONLINE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT COURSE, AND OBJECTIVE 3: EMPOWER TEACHERS TO BECOME MENTORS, PROMOTING AGRICULTURAL CONCEPTS, AND ENHANCING THEIR LEADERSHIP WITHIN THEIR SCHOOLS.F2CVR ALIGNS WITH AFRI PRIORITIES, FOCUSING ON MISSISSIPPI AGRICULTURE AND USING VR TO HIGHLIGHT AGRICULTURAL SYSTEMS ACROSS THE STATE. RECENT STUDIES REVEALED MISCONCEPTIONS RATHER THAN AGRICULTURAL ILLITERACY AMONG STUDENTS, EMPHASIZING THE NEED FOR FORMAL AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION. BUILDING ON PREVIOUS SUCCESS, F2CVR PROVIDES HANDS-ON EXPERIENCES FOR K-6 TEACHERS TO SEAMLESSLY INTEGRATE AGRICULTURAL CONCEPTS INTO THEIR CURRICULA. ELEMENTARY EDUCATION IS AN IDEAL STARTING POINT, ALIGNING WITH STATE STANDARDS IN SUBJECTS LIKE SOCIAL STUDIES, SCIENCE, ENGLISH/LANGUAGE ARTS, AND MATHEMATICS. F2CVR INVOLVES CREATING IMMERSIVE VR EXPERIENCES, EXPANDING ONLINE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, AND OFFERING MENTORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES BEYOND THE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT. TEACHERS WILL PARTICIPATE IN AN 8-WEEK ONLINE PD PROGRAM, 360-DEGREE VR AND FACE-TO-FACE IMMERSIVE LEARNING EXPERIENCES AND CONTINUE MENTORSHIP AND COLLABORATION WITHIN THEIR PEER-TEACHER GROUPS THROUGH THE MIGHTY NETWORKS PLATFORM. F2CVR ESTABLISHES A SELF-SUSTAINING MODEL WITH A PROJECT WEBSITE AND APP FOR TEACHERS TO UPLOAD AND ACCESS INSTRUCTIONAL CONTENT. LESSON PLANS AND RESOURCES WILL REMAIN AVAILABLE BEYOND THE PROJECT'S FUNDING, ENSURING CONTINUED INTEGRATION IN MISSISSIPPI CLASSROOMS.