This time of year, children across the country are growing and harvesting fruits and vegetables —at school. If you’re looking for ways to add excitement to your Math, Science, or English Language Arts lessons next year, consider integrating school garden experiences. Naturally “hands-on” and fun, there are endless ways to engage children in meaningful learning.
Two new curricula from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) make this easier than ever, with turn-key lessons that connect school gardens with nutrition messages in the classroom, school cafeteria, and at home. Whether your growing season is long or short, these materials can help you add fun and interactive activities to core subjects and help your students learn healthy eating habits.
Dig In! is a supplemental unit with 10 lessons, a gardening guide, Dig In! at Home booklets for parents/caregivers, and six colorful posters encouraging fruit and vegetable choices.
For 3rd and 4th grades, The Great Garden Detective Adventure includes 11 lessons, bulletin board materials, veggie dice, fruit and vegetable flash cards, and 10 issues of Garden Detective News for parents/caregivers.
Both Dig In! and The Great Garden Detective Adventure materials are free and available through USDA’s Team Nutrition initiative. All materials are available online and schools participating in the National School Lunch Program and/or School Breakfast Program will be able to order free printed copies this summer (including enough full color take-homes for your whole class). @teamnutrition
To make planning easier, these lessons provide timing/pacing information and are linked to education standards in one or more of the following subjects: Science (National Academy of Sciences), English Language Arts (Common Core State Standards Initiative), Math (Common Core State Standards Initiative), and Health (American Cancer Society).
You don’t need to be an expert gardener to help children explore how fruits and vegetables are grown. Both of the curricula above include guidance to help you create a special place for children to learn — whether your school has a large plot of land or a sunny windowsill. Tasting and food preparation activities are an important part of garden learning, and there are many ways these can be implemented in the school setting. Today, there are also many grants and community resources to help support your school garden efforts. It’s a perfect time to Dig In! and explore the opportunities in the garden and on your plate!
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