Growing Healthy Kids

Garden-based lessons that focus on nutrition education and its connection to plants and uses gardening as a vehicle to expose children to a variety of vegetables and fruits and to encourage increased consumption of vegetables and fruits.

Description

This garden-based and nutrition education curriculum provides engaging activities for students. Lessons focus on nutrition education and its connection to plants by using gardening as a vehicle to expose children to a variety of vegetables and fruits, and encourage increased consumption of vegetables and fruits. The lessons are designed to be used in an indoor, outdoor, or wall mural garden where students learn to grow, prepare, and enjoy fruits and vegetables; create a garden; conduct cooking activities; and increase physical activity. What’s inside: The materials include an overview of the curriculum, evaluation materials, and seven lessons. Each lesson has objectives, overview, lists of materials needed, teaching outline and script, student worksheets, recipes, supplemental activities, recipe sheets, and family letters. Activity highlight: In lesson 2, “Root, Root Hooray!” students participate in five activities. They report on the results of their Food Adventurer mission, review the six plant parts, examine the parts of a carrot, taste a healthy carrot and jicama salsa recipe, and work on their mural or indoor or outdoor garden.

Key Content Areas: Cafeteria Connections, Food Literacy and Cooking Activities, Garden-based, Healthy School Environment, Integrated Subjects, MyPlate, Parent/Family Involvement, and Physical Activity