The Island Grown Schools’ Summer Institute for Teachers, a three-day workshop for educators on the Vineyard interested in incorporating curriculum tied to farms and gardens into their classes, will run from August 10 to 12 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at a number of Island locations.

The program is free for Vineyard teachers and will award participants with 20 professional development points upon completion. Past participants and newcomers are welcome to attend.

During the workshop, participants will visit farms, explore school gardening, and develop project ideas on food and agriculture topics that promote service learning and link to the academic curriculum,

Created in December 2007, Island Grown Schools supports farm-to-school education in classrooms, cafeterias, school gardens and on farms across the island. Over 20 local teachers attended the first Institute last August and successfully went on to integrate many of the concepts into their teaching.

Melinda Rabbitt DeFeo, enrichment coordinator for the Island Grown Schools program, will lead the three-day program. “These workshops really help teachers narrow their focus, meet specific curricular needs and result in practical, engaging lesson plans,” she said.