Excellence in Teaching about Agriculture Awards
are designed to support the development and sharing of innovative and creative lesson plans and hands-on activities that educate students about agriculture and its importance in today's society.

• There are three different categories in which to enter work.  The Education Committee is looking for lessons and unit plans that have been developed to excite students as they learn about agriculture in their lives.

  • Category I - Ag in the Classroom Participants
    The award is made available to all Ag in the Classroom (AITC) participants - past and present - who best infuse agriculturally related education into their classroom teaching. Share a lesson or unit plan you have developed.  If your entry is selected, you could receive a cash award of $100, $200, or $300 just for passing your ideas on to other teachers. 
     

  • Category II - Teachers from Schools visited by the Mobile Science Lab
    This award is offered to teachers in schools visited by any of our Mobile Science Labs. Share a lesson or unit plan that you or your team developed that supports the activities students engage in while aboard the lab.  These plans may be lessons taught prior to the lab's visit, during the lab's visit, or as a follow-up to the lab's visit.  If your entry is selected, you could receive a cash award of $100, $200, or $300 just for passing on your ideas to other teachers. 
     

  • Category III - AgriScience Teachers
    Share a lesson or unit plan you have developed.  If your entry is selected, you could receive a cash award of $100, $200, or $300 just for passing your ideas on to other teachers. 
     

• Selection:  Submissions will be judged on creativity, completeness, and relevance to agricultural education. Sufficient information must be given that others can replicate your work. 

• Eligibility:  Elementary, Middle and Ag-Science Teachers in Maryland.  You may enter more than one time; simply use a separate form for each entry.
   

• Application Deadlines:  Recipients will be notified three weeks following the deadline for which they applied.
  Spring Awards - March 1st       Fall Awards - October 1st
   

• Authorship:  It is understood that all ideas and plans become the property of Maryland Agricultural Education Foundation, Inc. (MAEF) with credit being given to the author.  The Foundation reserves the right to share plans with others involved in education about agriculture.  All entries will respect copyright laws and give credit to such materials.  Winners may be asked to share their project(s) at the Annual Banquet and/or MAEF Workshops.
   

• Submittal:  Complete the Entry Form (one per lesson) and mail with your lesson plan to the MAEF Education Committee.