Celebrating Farmers and Food Georgia Agricultural Awareness Week

Agriculture is Georgia’s #1 industry.  March 19-23 is the second Georgia Agricultural Awareness Week.  A celebration of agriculture in Georgia, with a special theme each day. Even if you are not in GA here are some ideas you could use in your classroom.  So let’s celebrate Farmers and Food this week.  This will just get you started.

Monday  – Kick‐off Georgia Ag Awareness Week in your community or school by hosting a ‘Pennies for Produce’ Drive. Funds collected should be donated to a food bank of your choice to purchase local produce when in season from the ag heroes who grow it!

 
Tuesday – Flavor of Georgia Day -try some new fruits or veggies that are Ga Grown.  March is an ideal time for strawberries, since they are in season.

Wednesday – Ag Hero Day, invite a farmer to the classroom or visit a local farm.  Explain to children what a hero is and ask them to describe some of the people they consider to be a hero.  You may even relate it to Super Heros, then relate it to local heros.  Have children draw a picture or write a thank you note to “thank a farmer.”

Thursday – Ag Literacy Day – Invite a local leader to read agriculture related books to your children.  For suggest books to read visit http://feedmyschool.org/assets/files/ag-awareness/Reading-list.pdf                                                                                                      You will also find a certificate to provide for your children.

Friday – Make my Plate Georgia Grown – Feature GA grown products through snacks or meals throughout the day.

For more information and ideas visit:  http://feedmyschool.org/FMS/AG_Awareness_Week

 

Can Children Learn Science through Food Activities? Absolutely!

In previous posts, we discussed ways to add nutrition education into various areas of the curriculum.  So what does science have to do with food?  Let’s explore ways we can merge science into food experiences.  I hope that you will share some of your ideas too.

Science Skills Learned through Food Experiences

• Cause & Effect
• Chemistry
• Temperature
• Testing Hypothesis
• Physical Properties of Food
• Investigating the Origins of Food
• Life Science (growing foods in the garden)
• Changing Forms – liquids, gases, solids
• Predictions & Observations

Food experiences can inspire children’s curiosity, thinking and problem solving, which offers opportunities to make predictions and observations.   Some experiences you plan can stimulate all the senses.  Ask questions, let the children make hypothesis on how a product may change, discuss temperatures of foods cooked and uncooked, put an item in a blender discuss what it looks like before it is blended – let children discuss how it might change, blend food item and discuss the final state of the food.  There are so many possibilities to incorporate science learning into food experiences.

Turnip (can use other foods)

• Show a turnip seed packet & seeds.  (many children may not have ever seen a turnip)
• Show a turnip from its raw state, then show a peeled turnip.  (ask children have they eaten a turnip before)
• Pass the turnip around for the children to feel & smell. (encourage discussion)
• Provide a uncooked sample & a cooked sample. (ask children how they think it will change when you cook the turnip)
• Discuss the differences in the uncooked & cooked turnip.
• To extend the lesson, have a farmer or home gardener come to talk with class about growing food.
• Have children plant a seed and make predictions on what will happen with it.  As the plant grows it will provide additional opportunities for discussion and learning.
• Another food item to use is potatoes, many children have only seen them as french fries.  Of course, the possibilities are unlimited on fruits and vegetables.
• Read & have an activity for “The Great Big Enormous Turnip” by Anna Award or “The Enormous Potato” by Aubrey Davis. I will post an activity on my next blog.

Apple Slice Science

https://www.education.com/activity/article/Apple_Slice_Science/