Food, Farms and Families

Foods, Farms and Families

I have a partnership with a local, organic farm. The plan is to receive seasonal produce and eggs through the farm's community shared agriculture program. Through this interaction grade 2&3 students will learn about nutrition, sustainability, organic farming and the important relationship between urban and rural communities which connects to their social studies program. We would like to Skype with one of the farmers for students to have an opportunity to ask the expert questions that arise during learning activities. The produce will be used to create some simple recipes that will also be shared with families as well as some of the foods made in class. We will plant some vegetable seeds with a goal of having the seedlings later planted at home.

Update (June 23, 2014)

The grade 2 and 3 students have been very excited about the local organic produce we have received through our partner Plan B Organic Farms. Much of the late spring harvest has been green (kale, asparagus, baby greens, cilantro) and many students have expanded their food horizons learning new words, smells, tastes and textures. The connections that students have made between this food and their learning in Social Studies (communities here and around the world) and Science (air, water, soil and plants) are numerous. We were able to purchase some rich texts that are encouraging the children to think critically about the impact that our food choices have on ourselves and the world around us. The students are engaged by the hands on activities of preparing food and of course eating it. It is my hope that this enthusiasm for delicious, nutritious and sustainable food carries over into students' homes. The boys and girls have also planted some seeds and are excited to see the tiny sprouts poking through the soil.

Update (June 28, 2014)

We ended the school year enjoying the bounty of fresh Ontario strawberries. The students had fun crushing, stirring and measuring to make some delicious jam to share with their families. We discussed the difference between these local jewels and the strawberries that are available all year in the grocery store. A special thanks goes out to Murphy's Country Produce for providing these to us at a discount. The students also had the opportunity to try a variety of seasonal farm veggies in our easy to make veggie noodle soup. The grant provided opportunities for the students to consolidate and expand their learning beyond the classroom with these unique experiences. Thank you!