Wisconsin Agriculture in the Classroom is digging into fall with an exciting opportunity for students and teachers! AITC will host a free virtual author visit with Peggy Thomas, author of The Soil in Jackie’s Garden, on Wednesday, November 5, 2025. This engaging event also marks the official kickoff of the 2026 Wisconsin AITC Essay Contest.
Open to students of all grade levels, the 30-minute live event will highlight the importance of soil, agriculture and environmental stewardship. Author Peggy Thomas will share her inspiration, writing process and insights from her award-winning book, while students will have the chance to ask questions and connect directly with a published author.
For fourth and fifth grade teachers, the event provides a perfect launchpad for this year’s essay contest, themed “Dig into Wisconsin Soil…Where Good Things Grow!” The contest encourages students to explore the role of soil in Wisconsin agriculture through research and creative writing. Entries are due February 15, 2026.
Teachers can access free classroom resources—including lesson plans, contest rules, entry forms, rubrics and promotional materials—to help introduce the contest and connect it to reading, science and social studies lessons.
Registration for the virtual author visit is now open. Visit bit.ly/WIAITCEssay to register and download contest materials.
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