Try giving vegetables to a fourth grader and the likely response
is a frown at best.
But a state project is trying to reverse the ages-old hatred of
greens among kids by getting them involved in the growing
process.
Hollister – Try giving vegetables to a fourth grader and the likely response is a frown at best.
But a state project is trying to reverse the ages-old hatred of greens among kids by getting them involved in the growing process.
Earlier this month, students in one fourth grade class at Ladd Lane Elementary planted row crops such as chard, tomatoes and radishes as part of the Plant a Seed for Good Health Project, sponsored by the 5 a Day Power Play! Campaign. Over the next couple of months, they will monitor the seedlings’ growth, water the plants and record their observations in a journal. And when the crops are ready in May or June, they will get the ultimate reward for their labors, by eating the very veggies they’ve planted.
“The basic principle is when students make a connection between a seed and food, they are more likely to want to eat them,” said Ildi Carlisle-Cummins, coordinator of the program, which is funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Fourteen schools on the Central Coast are participating in the program, but only one fourth grade class at Ladd Lane is involved in the project out all the schools in San Benito County.
In addition to getting their hands dirty in the school garden, the project also gives kids a chance to develop other skills, said Carlisle-Cummins. For example, students take a poll of their peers’ favorite vegetables and graph the results, which practices math skills. As part of their lesson plan, they read about the seasons, temperatures and other relevant facts and write essays about what they’ve learned.
Studies have shown that children involved in gardening projects overwhelmingly improve their behavior and acquire social and leadership skills. Gardening also teaches students key concepts about science and improves their investigative skills, according to the National Gardening Association.
In addition, a study by Texas A & M University found that kids’ attitudes towards vegetables changed after participating in a 16-month gardening program. At the onset of the project, many associated vegetables as something dirty because they came from the ground, but after being involved in their production, kids were more likely to pick them during meals.
That’s what motivated the creation of the 5 a Day Power Play!, which is administered through the California Department of Health Services and has had a presence on the Central Coast for four years.
“Only one fifth of California elementary school kids are eating the recommended five servings of produce a day and that is a staggeringly low number,” said Carlisle-Cummins. “We are trying to do everything we can to boost it.”
Karina Ioffee covers education and agriculture for the Free Lance. Reach her at (831)637-5566 ext. 335 or [email protected]
