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ENLARGE
Mandy Hatfield
"What is a grain?” asks a first-grader. This question has been asked by many students in the classes taught in the first and second grades.
Through the classes offered by Oregon State University Extension Service, elementary students will be able to answer this question and other similar questions on their own.
The classes are filled with physical activity that relates to learning about the food groups, to reading, and partner conversations on the food group of the week.
Currently, Myrtle Creek Elementary is participating in the Oregon Family Nutrition Program with the first-, second- and fourth-grade classes. First- and second-grade classes enjoy learning about the importance of breakfast through stories and activities. The first-graders have practiced high-speed hand washing, and covered the following lessons: Breakfast Builds Better Brains, Many Foods Make a Morning Meal, and Fruits and Veggies: A Colorful Way to Start the Day.
The next grain group lesson is called Grains Get You Going. It begins with a book called “Good Morning, Little Fox” by Marilyn Janovitz. Children learn to try new foods, which may actually be tasty as well as good for them. The next part of the lesson is a discussion on the topic of the day: How Grains Get You Going. After the discussion, follow-up is a physical activity that relates to foods found in the grain group and how much energy is acquired from each food.
We run in place for whole grains, we march in place for grains, and we stop for “whoa” foods such as cookies, which do not provide much energy. We then do a grain maze and draw a picture of our favorite grain food. Before trying the snack of the day, all wash their hands to practice food safety.
To wrap up the class, samples of granola are eaten, which leads into a talk about what a great healthy snack granola is.
The students then come up with examples of other food groups to add to granola. We add dried fruit from the fruit group and yogurt from the milk group. The last class is about the milk group called Milk and Movement for Mighty Bones.
Through this series of six lessons, the students learn about the food groups and how to incorporate them into their own breakfasts.
The Oregon Family Nutrition Program offers an opportunity for students to learn more about making healthy decisions.
After hearing many of the elementary students ask me what grains were, I knew how important this information is for kids of all ages. Through the help of Mercy Foundation many more children will be hearing messages of healthy eating and increased physical activity next school year. Mercy Foundation and the OSU Extension Service are partnering together to share nutrition with the children of Douglas County.
If you are interested in learning more about the Oregon Family Nutrition Program, give me a call at 672-4461 or e-mail me at mandy.hatfield@oregonstate.edu.
Through the classes offered by Oregon State University Extension Service, elementary students will be able to answer this question and other similar questions on their own.
The classes are filled with physical activity that relates to learning about the food groups, to reading, and partner conversations on the food group of the week.
Currently, Myrtle Creek Elementary is participating in the Oregon Family Nutrition Program with the first-, second- and fourth-grade classes. First- and second-grade classes enjoy learning about the importance of breakfast through stories and activities. The first-graders have practiced high-speed hand washing, and covered the following lessons: Breakfast Builds Better Brains, Many Foods Make a Morning Meal, and Fruits and Veggies: A Colorful Way to Start the Day.
The next grain group lesson is called Grains Get You Going. It begins with a book called “Good Morning, Little Fox” by Marilyn Janovitz. Children learn to try new foods, which may actually be tasty as well as good for them. The next part of the lesson is a discussion on the topic of the day: How Grains Get You Going. After the discussion, follow-up is a physical activity that relates to foods found in the grain group and how much energy is acquired from each food.
We run in place for whole grains, we march in place for grains, and we stop for “whoa” foods such as cookies, which do not provide much energy. We then do a grain maze and draw a picture of our favorite grain food. Before trying the snack of the day, all wash their hands to practice food safety.
To wrap up the class, samples of granola are eaten, which leads into a talk about what a great healthy snack granola is.
The students then come up with examples of other food groups to add to granola. We add dried fruit from the fruit group and yogurt from the milk group. The last class is about the milk group called Milk and Movement for Mighty Bones.
Through this series of six lessons, the students learn about the food groups and how to incorporate them into their own breakfasts.
The Oregon Family Nutrition Program offers an opportunity for students to learn more about making healthy decisions.
After hearing many of the elementary students ask me what grains were, I knew how important this information is for kids of all ages. Through the help of Mercy Foundation many more children will be hearing messages of healthy eating and increased physical activity next school year. Mercy Foundation and the OSU Extension Service are partnering together to share nutrition with the children of Douglas County.
If you are interested in learning more about the Oregon Family Nutrition Program, give me a call at 672-4461 or e-mail me at mandy.hatfield@oregonstate.edu.
Mandy Hatfield is the Nutrition Education Program instructor for OSU Extension Service of Douglas County. She can be reached by e-mail at mandy.hatfield@oregonstate.edu or by phone at (541) 672-4461.
