Growing Minds Day by Day: Fourth Week of August

…ny and request one. A few great seed companies are: Johnny’s Select Seed: 1-877-564-6697, Territorial Seed: 1-800-626-0866, or Sow True Seed (based in Asheville): 828-254-0708 The growth of vegetables and weeds in your garden will slow down as temperatures begin to drop. This means you’ll be weeding and harvesting less frequently in the fall, but don’t stop tending your garden altogether. Many exciting things will continue taking place. Observing…

Planning for Inquiry: It’s Not an Oxymoron!

…om. If you’re an educator that believes there is more to teaching than just reading a script, than this book is for you. Diane Parker invites you into her classroom to see how she’s applied the inquiry-based approach to her classroom, where the student’s questions lead the lessons, but she still stays within the boundaries of the mandated curricula, standards, and programs….

Growing Minds Day by Day: First Week of September

…ut the parts of plants and their functions. Use the garden to teach a hands-on plant based activity. Root Exploration: Introduce students to roots and the ways they function. Talk with students about the 5 “Ws” (who, what, when, where, and why) and teach them as a guide for creating a poem. Seed Starting: Students will observe germination of different types of seeds and learn how to transplant seedlings into soil. Looking for more inspiration? Che…

Growing Minds Day by Day: First Week of June

…e children’s books? Visit the Growing Minds’ farm to school literature database to browse our collection of recommended books. Type “rocks” into the search bar to find books that align with this week’s theme.    Local Food Recipe: Before you prepare today’s recipe, watch this animated short of the classic fable, Stone Soup, retold by Heather Forest. In this story, two hungry travelers visit a village hoping to find a bite to eat, but are turned aw…

Choice, Control & Change: Using Science to Make Food and Activity Decisions

…An inquiry-based science and nutrition program developed by the Teachers College at Columbia University, this curriculum is divided into units that teach students about science by studying their own diet and activity choices. The curriculum includes background information and assessment tools to help students apply what they learn to their personal health choices….

Workshops, Presentations, and Consulting

…to schedule your training. Fun on the Farm Fun on the Farm is a unique farm-based wellness experience for educators, ECE providers and staff. This experience provides opportunities for school staff to connect outside of the work environment at a relaxed pace on one of Western North Carolina’s diverse farms. Participants will build connections to local farms, engage in hands-on farm to school activities and experience a seasonally sourced meal from…

Root Vegetables

Growing Minds Day by Day: Third Week of December

…uTube.  Find more books Both of the books above are available for Asheville-based educators to check out from our lending library. Visit the Growing Minds’ farm to school literature database to discover more of our favorite children’s books. Local Food Recipe: Maple-Glazed Root Veggies Roasting root vegetables concentrates their natural sugars, making them sweet and tender. This recipe can be easily adapted to include your favorite root veggies. I…

Preschool lesson plans

…ty with different types of tomatoes and explore how they taste. Children become comfortable with tasting new foods in the supportive, positive environment of their preschool. Children learn that many vegetables come in lots of different varieties that all look and taste different. August Tomato Salsa Chicks and Salsa Students will learn how to make fresh salsa with local ingredients. August Melon Exploration One Watermelon Seed Children learn abou…

Growing Minds Day by Day: Third Week of October

…uTube.  Find more books Both of the books above are available for Asheville-based educators to check out from our lending library. Visit the Growing Minds’ farm to school literature database to discover more of our favorite fall-themed children’s books.   Local Food Recipes: In honor of apple season and the NC Crunch, here are some tasty dip recipes to pair with local apple slices, courtesy of NC Farm to Preschool Network member Jen Kozaczek.  Ban…

Growing Minds Day by Day: Fifth Week of March

…at soils4kids.org.  Click here for a list of muddy arts and crafts and play-based activities geared toward preschoolers. While International Mud Day (yes that’s a thing!) is officially celebrated on June 29, playing in the mud is fun every day.   Activity: Mud Painting is an outside activity. Give each child a large piece of paper and have them finger paint with mud. Can they find multiple colors of mud? Have them make imprints with different leav…

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