Gardens at School and My Plate at Home

Jennifer Genens, Nutrition Specialist

Ivy Marx, Nutrition Specialist

Goal

• To make the connection between what you teach students about HOTM/gardens and MyPlate at home

• To motivate families to eat more fruits and vegetables at home by involving students and their families in activities involving fruits and vegetables

Achieving the Goal

• Provide bi-lingual material that students and their families can use

• Assign homework that requires students to repeat activities done in class with their families

• Empower students to take a role in being the nutrition leader or advocate in their home

Achieving the Goal

Empower students to be nutrition leaders at home

• talk to their families about fruits and vegetables

• help shop for fruits and vegetables

• help start and maintain a garden at home

• help harvest the produce from the garden

• help prepare meals

Garden at School and MyPlate at Home

• The Plant Part Factory

• Where Do Fruits and Vegetables Grow

• What Parts of the Plants Can We Eat

• Guide to Picking Fruits and Vegetables• Seed to Plate Curriculum and At Home

Activities (will email to you)

• Harvesting Health: Garden Boot Camp

• Edible Artwork: Healthy Garden Recipe

The Plant Part Factory Lesson

Plant Part RolesRoots – Sit or lie down on the ground and make a very loud slurping, sucking

sound to represent absorbing water and nutrients from the soil.

Stems – Stand up straight and tall to represent supporting the plant and move their arms up and down, while chanting “up and down, up and down” to represent moving water and nutrients throughout the plant.

Leaves – Reach towards the sun, as if they are grabbing something, then make a stirring motion and chant “take and make, take and make” to represent taking energy from the sun and making food for the plant.

Flowers – Wave their props around and chant “Hey bee, look at me!” to represent attracting birds, insects and other pollinators.

Fruits – Make a circle with their arms to represent a big, fleshy fruit like an apple that is surrounding its seeds OR Make a “rocking the baby” motion to represent protecting the seeds.

Seeds – Jump out from the plant and crouch down to the ground. Then slowly stand up raising your arms. Chant, “Pop out, grow up!” to represent seed falling and the growth of a new plant.

Plant Factory Physical Activity

Where Do Fruits andVegetables Grow?

What Parts of the Plants Can We Eat?

Guide to Picking Fruits & Vegetables

Seed to Plate Curriculum and At Home Activities

• At Home Activities and Recommended Recipes– Recipe Planning– Color a Colorful Meal– Kitchen Raid– Plan a Recycled Garden– Composting– International Grocery Cart

Garden Boot Camp

Ingredients:• Pumpkin seeds • 2 medium carrots, peeled • 2 stalks celery • 1 broccoli crown • 1 red bell pepper, • 1 bunch of basil, remove leaves from stem • Low-fat cream cheese, let soften as you prep• Whole-wheat crackers

Directions:• Slice all vegetables thinly• Spread cream cheese onto each cracker• Arrange the remaining ingredients to create your edible artwork• Makes approximately 20 crackers

Edible Artwork: Healthy Garden Recipe