Connecting Teachers to Agriculture

Every July, teachers hungry to expand their knowledge of agriculture become the students at BC Agriculture in the Classroom (BCAITC) and the UBC Faculty of Education's Summer Institute course in Abbotsford, BC. Together, we provide teachers with professional development tools and resources to help them integrate important concepts related to food, the agriculture industry, and environmental sustainability into their classrooms.

Through active participation, field trips, guest speakers, and video presentations, participants in this five-day course explore practical ways to integrate concepts related to food production and consumption, food safety, agricultural issues, and sustainability across the curriculum at all grade levels. The result? Curriculum projects and lesson units that can be shared with students, as well as other educators around the province, that are rich in agricultural literacy.

The Summer Institute is a three-credit course, or it can be taken as non-credit participation (in both cases, the sign-up for the course is through the UBC Faculty of Education’s Vancouver office). 

For more details on Summer Institute, and to register, visit UBC Faculty of Education Summer Institute.

Sign Us Up!

Summer Institute is a three-credit course, or it can be taken as non-credit participation. In both cases, the sign-up for the course is through the UBC Faculty of Education’s Vancouver office.

This hands-on program is held annually in July at the Heritage Alliance Church in Abbotsford, BC. An hour's drive east of Vancouver, in the Fraser Valley, Abbotsford is home to one of the most productive farming areas in the world and is the ideal setting for this experiential learning experience.

The 2023 Summer Institute will take place from July 17 to 21, 2023 in Abbotsford. For more information on Summer Institute, including fees and location, and to register, please visit the UBC Faculty of Education. (The full course name is EDCP 329 – Agriculture In the Curriculum.) The application deadline is typically the first week of June annually. The course is subject to minimum enrollment. We recommend that participants do not finalize any travel arrangements until notified that this course is confirmed.   

The reading list for Summer Institute is supplied by UBC (participants download or access the articles and multimedia online). BC Agriculture in the Classroom Foundation (BCAITC) supplies refreshments and lunch each day, along with chef preparation demonstrations. Please contact UBC Faculty of Education for a complete course description and how you can prepare. There are several pathways for participation in Summer Institute. Fees will depend on your registration type.

Once your registration is confirmed and you’re ready to plan your visit to Abbotsford, we suggest you visit this community website.

Partners Make It Possible — Thank You!

Thank you to this year’s amazing speakers, chefs, & donors!

Course Instructor

Joe Massie

Speakers

Agricultural Land Commission - Claire Buchanan & Jennifer Watson

Bakerview Greenhouses - Armand Vander Meulen

BCAITC - Pat Tonn, Alison Speirs & Tina Evans

Fossen Bar 7 Ranch - Erika & Doug Fossen

Locarno Dairy Farm - Heidi & Mark Schurmann

Metro Vancouver - Bruce Ford

Pacific Halibut Management Association of BC - Chris Sporer

Sardis Secondary - Tania Toth

W&A Farms - Bill Zylmans

Chefs

Chef Trevor Randle 

Donors

Aero Trading Co Ltd.

BC Chicken Marketing Board

BC Greenhouse Growers Association

BC Turkey Marketing Board

Devan Greenhouses

Organic Ocean Seafood Inc.

Join Us!

To find out how you or your business can support this exciting program, contact BC Agriculture in the Classroom Foundation, or check out our Partnership Opportunities.

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