Garden

Harvest of the Month is a program of the CA Department of Public Health, and is offered statewide. It is designed to motivate and empower students to increase consumption and enjoyment of a variety of colorful fruits and vegetables and engage in physical activity every day.  Studies show that healthy eating and daily physical activity have a profound impact on the body and mind by improving the ability to learn and comprehend, boosting energy, improving school attendance and changing attitudes, behavior and more. The program also supports core curricular areas of health, physical education, English language, arts, science, history/social science and mathematics.   

The Harvest of the Month Program program at Bancroft is a monthly lessons for all grades (K-5), taught by parent volunteers and given during regularly scheduled Physical Education time. During the lesson children will be give grade-level appropriate information about the selected produce that may include nutrition information, interesting facts, botanical and growing information, history, and regional growing information. If the selected produce is something currently being grown in the school garden, the lesson may include a trip out to the garden to see the fruit/vegetable growing. Students will be given the opportunity to taste the featured produce. When possible we may be able to taste an item from the garden. Then students will be given an opportunity to engage in physical activity led by their classroom teacher. Newsletters for parents will be sent home to allow students to share the experience with their families and provide ideas for serving the featured produce and increasing physical activity.

Click here for Monthly Lesson Plans