Garden Based Nutrition Education

School based-gardens

The idea of integrating childhood educational curriculum into the natural environment is not new. Garden based-education is an amalgamation of experiential education, ecological and environmental awareness, and agriculture literacy. In the past decade there has been an emergence of school gardens designed to create opportunities for children to learn about fresh food and improve the health of children.
School based-gardens offer children access to fresh produce and often lead to changes in the school cafeteria. In the contest of childhood obesity and today's food culture consisting of fast food, packaged and processed snacks, and super sized sodas, this comes as a welcome change!

Master Gardeners

WHO WE ARE
Master Gardeners are members of communities who are trained by Cooperative Extension experts in different aspects of plant science. In exchange for instruction, persons who become Master Gardeners volunteer through their local Cooperative Extension office to extend information to their community. Volunteers are supervised and guided by UC Cooperative Extension (UCCE) advisors. The primary role of the Master Gardener is to be an educator. Each MG is expected to teach, write, and present information to the general public.

Looking for quick and easy activities for students to learn about gardening? At the Piece Conference in March we presented several ideas: click here to find out

Shaping Healthy Choices Program

The Shaping Healthy Choices Program is a multi-component, school- based intervention that was developed to improve children’s health.

The Center for Nutrition in Schools offers this curriculum.

Curriculum

UCCE Kings County Cal Fresh representatives provide training, technical assistance and consultation. Please contact our office.

TWIGS focuses on gardening and how the foods we grow are used in our bodies as building blocks and as energy providers. Students from kindergarten through eighth grade are given the tools to plant and care for a garden. This curriculum is flexible and the lessons can easily be used in a classroom, after-school program, or club.

Nutrition to Grow Onis an innovative curriculum that offers teachers a direct link between the garden and nutrition education. This multi-disciplinary curriculum enriches students’ capabilities for observation and thinking and encourages them to develop a wide range of skills.