Many students think milk comes from the grocery store, they don’t realize the journey it travels before it gets there. The Dairy Council of Florida has partnered with Young Minds Inspired to provide interactive and educational lessons on dairy farming and nutrition. These materials are free and targeted at elementary age students. These lessons will help students understand where their food comes from, the importance of it and what they can choose during school meals and at home.
Healthy Farming, Healthy You
Healthy Farming, Healthy You lesson plans are for grades K-1 and 2-4. It teaches younger students about dairy nutrition and older students about the science and technology involved in dairy farming. Each lesson plan encourages interactive learning through a whiteboard activity and activity sheets. The white board activity allows students to take a virtual tour of a dairy farmer and meet 5 of our Florida dairy farming families. A wall poster is also included to visually display the use of science and technology on the farm and to explore the history of dairy farming. The lesson and activity provided for each grade list corresponding educational state standards.
Farm-to-Table
Farm-to-Table lessons are also provided for grades K-1 and 2-4. Younger students learn from SunnyBell, our animated Florida dairy calf, how milk comes from the farm before going to the grocery store. The activity sheets generate discussion from the video and focus on the importance of drinking milk. Older students utilize a wall poster to learn about how milk travels from the farm to the table. The USDA MyPlate activity sheets allow students to connect the food they eat with the nutrition it provides. The homegrown activity sheet prepares students for what they need to grow their own garden and further experience where their food comes from.
These resources can be accessed at : http://www.floridamilk.com/in-the-schools/dairy-101/
For additional lessons on dairy and other educational topics visit: http://ymiclassroom.com/
Contributor
Lori Nelson MS, RD, LD/N, Nutrition Manager, Dairy Council of Florida