Education

Our Mission

Education is a high priority of the Alaska Association of Conservation Districts (AACD). The AACD and its member districts not only work to provide information to classroom students, they also disseminate information to cooperators and the public.

AACD sponsors the Alaska Envirothon, the AACD/SWCD Speech & Poster Contests and Project WET in Alaska.

 

Sections:

Project WET • Alaska Envirothon • Invasive Pants
Alaska's Awesome Soils • Other Programs

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Project W.E.T.

AACD helps promote teacher training opportunities through workshops. Project WET, Agriculture in the classroom and other workshops are offered occasionally to teachers and others, usually for credit, by Soil & Water Conservation Districts, AACD and partners.

 

Agriculture in the Classroom
Project WET: Water Education for Teachers

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Alaska Envirothon

Alaska Envirothon students learn about the state's trees, soils and wildlife. They learn how to test water for oxygen content, and become familiar with practical applications in forestry and other related disciplines.

Teachers or youth group advisors interested in forming teams should contact AACD's Program Director for more information.

Teams are encouraged to start preparing early. Any school or youth group may compete. Participants do not need to be FFA members.

[  Click here for more information on Alaska Envirothon  ]

Alaska Future Farmers of America (FFA)
Canon Envirothon National Website
Wikipedia: Chena River
Wikipedia: Slough

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Invasive Plants: Taking Root in Alaska

Invasive Plants: Taking Root in Alaska is a new grades 9-12 biological science lesson for students presented by Homer Soil & Water Conservation Districts and Kenai Peninsula Cooperative Weed Management Area (KP-CWMA).

This curriculum was designed for grades 9-12 and is intended to be a resource for educators to integrate into their classroom one of the most substantial threats to global biodiversity and agriculture alike - invasive species. This program encourages students to delve into a locally-relevant, rapidly developing issue of invasive plants which are an increasing problem in South-central Alaska.

[  Click here for grant information  ]

Homer SWCD: Invasive Plants Taking Root

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Alaska's Awesome Soils

Alaska Association of Conservation Districts has partnered with the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service - Alaska to develop and produce a new book about Alaska's soil. "Alaska's Awesome Soils" has activities, puzzles and information for all ages. It covers such related topics as Alaska agriculture, the water cycle and stewardship. The 16-page booklet is available at no charge by contacting NRCS or AACD. The booklet, which is 8.5" by 11" inches in size, is also downloadable in pdf form below, either as an entire document (10.3 MB) or as individual pages with various file sizes depending on the art contained on that page.

*Adobe acrobat reader is required to view the following documents.

 

	Complete Workbook (10.3 Mb)
	Page 1 Cover (1.35 Mb)		Page 9 Wetland Soils II (2.03 Mb)
	Page 2 Intro & Credits (824 Kb)		Page 10 Painting with Soil (159 Kb)
	Page 3 Soil good for crops (1.46 Mb)		Page 11 Soil and Development (345 Kb)
	Page 4 Alaska Grown Criss-Cross (115 Kb)		Page 12 Soil Erosion (146 Kb)
	Page 5 Soil, Groundwater, and the Water Cycle (727 Kb)		Page 13 Tundra Soils (2.06 Mb)
	Page 6 Soil Layers (1.18 Mb)		Page 14 Alaska Soil Orders Word Find (56 Kb)
	Page 7 Soil Profiling (203 Kb)		Page 15 Life in the Soil (549 Kb)
	Page 8 Wetland Soils (2.64 Mb)		Page 16 Stewardship (114 Kb)

USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service

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Other AACD Supported Programs

	Alaska Future Farmers of America A number of Alaska SWCDs are home to FFA chapters. Local districts often support those programs through hands-on help and monetary assistance. AACD is working in partnership with Alaska FFA to enhance opportunities for Alaska's FFA members. Alaska Future Farmers of America
	Alaska Agriculture in the Classroom While FFA and 4-H provide extracurricular ties to agriculture and natural resources, Ag in the Classroom brings information to students right at their desks with hands-on, fun lesson plans and activities for students and teachers. AACD is helping Alaska Ag in the Classroom to reach more teachers. Alaska Agriculture in the Classroom
	Alaska 4-H Program For more than 100 years, 4-H has given American farm and city kids alike a means of learning more about farming, the environment and the world around them. 4-H clubs across Alaska continue to share the experience of 4-H. Local SWCDs support their 4-H kids with scholarships and other programs. Alaska 4-H Program

 

 

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