Growing Healthy Habits in the Classroom

Growing Healthy Habits Curriculum  Gardening and nutrition curriculum for elementary K-5 (Has been used in higher grades)  Developed by UME Food Supplement Nutrition Education  Funded by USDA’s Supplement Nutrition Assistance Program, SNAP-Ed, in cooperation with Maryland DHR and University of Maryland

Growing Healthy Habits Curriculum  Designed to: Help students increase consumption of fruits and vegetables Meet MD State Curriculum Objectives/Common Core Fit Environmental Literacy Standards Provide gardening, nutrition education and tasting activities

Growing Healthy Habits Curriculum  Since 2010, this curriculum has been offered to more than 11,370 Maryland students  Teachers who are trained to implement Growing Healthy Habits report a significant increase in their modeling of healthy behaviors, including drinking water and choosing fruits or vegetables as snacks

Growing Healthy Habits Curriculum  Students have multiple opportunities to grow and taste vegetables during the Growing Healthy Habits program. After participating in the program, youth report an increased preference for 10 of the 16 (63%) locally-grown vegetables they tasted.

Growing Healthy Habits Curriculum  On average, students participating in Growing Healthy Habits programs receive more than 300 minutes of gardening for nutrition lessons  3 out of 4 teachers report wide- reaching impacts of Growing Healthy Habits beyond the classroom, influencing changes in the cafeteria and school policies, as well as the eating habits of students in and out of school

Growing Healthy Habits Curriculum Concepts behind curriculum  Links gardening to nutrition  Specifically for Maryland: Growing Seasons State Curriculum Identifiers  Audience: Elementary age  Taught by trained FSNE educators, teachers, afterschool providers  Teacher/school limitations kept in mind

Curriculum Components Nine Units 1. What's So Great About Gardening? 2. Parts of the Plant that We Eat 3. Feed the Soil, and the Soil Will Feed You! 4. Variety: The Spice of Life! 5. Plan your Planting 6. Seed Magic 7. Garden Maintenance 8. Healthy Harve$t 9. Bonus Mini-Unit: Garden Fitness

Curriculum Components Unit Contents: Intro materials - Background information - Linking to the garden State Curriculum Identifiers One introductory lesson Two follow-up and reinforcement lessons - Including one healthy recipe using fresh produce, when in season Garden Journal Reflection

Curriculum Components All Lessons Include: 1.Time requirements 2. Lesson overview and objectives 3.Materials needed to conduct lesson 4.How to set-up for lesson activities 5.A step-by-step lesson process Including questions and key points for students Including all handouts needed

State Curriculum Identifiers

State Curriculum/Common Core  Reading/English Language Arts  Math Standards  Next Generation Science Standards  Health Standards  Social Studies Standards

Linking to the Garden Monthly planting schedule is given…but how and where to plant is not. Schoolyear ProgramsGrowing Season Programs Recommended month: JanuaryRecommended month: September Plant: NothingPlant: Lettuce, Radishes, Leafy greens, Spinach Harvest: NothingHarvest: Red bell peppers or tomatoes for Confetti Spaghetti; you may have red cabbage, cauliflower, and carrots for the recipe if you planted in mid- to late- summer Complementary gardening activities: Use seed catalogues to select any special varieties you want to grow this year in the garden Complementary gardening activities: General garden maintenance; Thin radishes a few weeks after planting

Student Journals  Lesson #4 of Each Unit –Journal Prompt –Journal Entry Space –Student Vocabulary –Recipe

Appendices  Gardening Resources  Sample Garden Budget Worksheet for Both Container and Indoor Gardens  Things to Consider in Planning your Gardening Program  Food Safety in the School Garden  Youth Gardening Program Planning Document –Building a Youth Garden Team –Defining Your Program –The Garden Design –Physical Resources –Educational Resources