Area teachers of grades kindergarten through third grades may attend a teacher training introducing a new K-3 curriculum about plants, nutrition, people and the environment.

Training sessions are Thursday, January 6, 4-8:30 p.m. at the Mississippi Bend AEA, 729 21st Street, Bettendorf for teachers of grades K-3. Training will also be offered Friday, January 14 at Faith Lutheran Church, 500 W. LeClaire Rd., Eldridge. Training for teachers of K-1st grades is 7:30-11:30 a.m. and 12:30-4:30 p.m. for teachers of second and third grades.

Teachers who attend either the January 6 or January 14 training will receive a free copy of the Growing in the Garden curriculum plus classroom books and audio tapes for their grade level (one set of classroom books and tapes per school).

Developed by ISU Extension, Growing in the Garden includes up to ten lessons for each grade level that include activities in science, math, social studies, art, language arts and music. Upon finishing the grade level lessons, students can apply what they have learned to an optional Outdoor Classroom (garden) activity.

A team of ISU Extension 4-H Youth Development and ISU Horticulture Department staff will conduct the workshops. The curriculum has been pilot tested in fifty classrooms in Waterloo and Davenport.

Registration fee is $5 for either training session; in addition, a light supper will be available for $5 at the January 6 training. Please contact the ISU Johnson County Extension for registration information at 319-337-2145.