Outside, snow still blankets our school gardens! While the winter weather slowed things down outdoors, inside, students in 58 Wyoming and Godwin STEAM classrooms stayed busy learning about nutrition, gardening, and healthy eating with H.O.P.E. Gardens’ teachers. This month, first and second graders focused on “eating the rainbow,” discovering how different colored fruits and vegetables help their bodies in unique ways.
The lesson kicked off with a slideshow showcasing fruits and vegetables grouped by color along with their health benefits. Students then played a game where they matched each fruit and vegetable to its specific benefit. They sang a cheerful song about “eating your colors”, created colorful rainbow posters in the end made fruit kabobs. Each kabob featured a rainbow of fresh fruits: a red strawberry, orange cantaloupe, green grape, yellow pineapple, and purple blackberry. The students proudly showed off their kabobs before enjoying them as a delicious snack.
Third and fourth graders became garden detectives, wrapping up their research projects on vegetables they chose last month—carrots, celery, lettuce, corn, black beans, or peas. Guided by H.O.P.E. Gardens’ teachers, they created colorful posters with photos, drawings, and facts. After presenting their research to classmates, their posters were displayed in school cafeterias and libraries for younger students and staff to enjoy.
No vegetable project would be complete without a tasting! Students sampled each of the focus vegetables. Some stuck with favorites like carrots and corn, while others bravely tried black beans or celery for the first time. The classroom buzzed with excitement as students shared their reactions and new favorites.
To wrap up, students received bright reusable market bags featuring Michigan-grown fruits and vegetables. Inside each bag was a colorful poster encouraging them to eat a variety of produce every day. The bags were a big hit, sparking conversations about healthy choices at home and the joy of trying something new!
Even in the middle of winter, these lessons planted seeds of knowledge and excitement for a healthier, more vibrant future.
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