New!  Farm to School Resources:  Dig In!

USDA Announces New Garden-Related Curriculum Resources

The USDA Farm to School Team is pleased to announce that the Food & Nutrition Services (FNS)Team Nutrition has released two exciting new curriculum resources offering interactive and exploratory lessons to connect school gardens with nutrition messages in the classroom, school cafeteria, and at home.

Dig In! helps kids, teachers, and parents explore a world of possibilities in the garden and on the plate using ten inquiry-based lessons that engage 5th and 6th graders in growing, harvesting, tasting, and learning about fruits and vegetables. Dig In! also includes a gardening guide, booklets for parents/caregivers, and six dynamic posters encouraging fruit and vegetable choices using themes that appeal to older elementary school children.  

The Great Garden Detective Adventure is focused on discovering what fruits and vegetables are sweetest, crunchiest, and juiciest through a series of investigations and fun experiences connecting the school garden to the classroom, school cafeteria, and home. This eleven-lesson curriculum for 3rd and 4th grades includes bulletin board materials, veggie dice, fruit and vegetable flash cards, and ten issues of Garden Detective News for parents/caregivers.

These new materials are meant to help meet English Language Arts, Math, Science, and Health standards while changing how kids think and feel about fruits and vegetables and fostering an awareness of where foods come from. We do hope you’ll use the materials and share them widely.