In Action

Lakeshore Elementary Kindergarten Team at NL #1

Nutrition and Learning Professional Development Series for Elementary Teachers This year NEP launched a new approach to our annual teacher nutrition education professional development.  Four Kindergarten teachers from Lakeshore Elementary took what they learned at the workshops… and aced their Healthy Report Card!

Nutrition & Learning Workshop Series

A three-part Nutrition & Learning (NL) series was designed to provide teachers a professional learning community where they could learn effective strategies for nutrition education.

Workshop Goal: To empower each participant to promote and implement healthy eating and physical activity in his/her classroom and school community

Workshop Objectives: In the workshop participants will:

1. Increase knowledge of strategies and resources to create a classroom environment which supports academic success
2. Identify ways to support the Health Education and SFUSD Wellness Policy through nutrition education classroom lessons and hands-on activities

The series included the following:

NL-#1: Setting Up A Healthy Learning Environment

Healthy snacks at NL #2

Strategies and resources to incorporate nutrition education and physical activity into the elementary classroom

NL-#2: Linking to Science Curriculum

Curriculum resources to integrate science standards
and garden links into nutrition education

NL-#3: Nutrition Links to Family & Community

Nutrition education resources for families and family health events

Lakeshore Elementary Team

The Kindergarten team from Lakeshore Elementary attended all three workshops.  After each workshop, they collaborated to promote nutrition and healthy eating with Lakeshore students, staff and families. Here is their healthy report card.

HEALTHY REPORT CARD Lakeshore Elementary Kindergarten Teachers (left to right - Athena Lafferty, Rita Gelini, Mary Kabala, and Laura Palacio)
GRADE	SUBJECT	COMMENTS
	Role Modeling	Provided a demo of “healthy snack in a minute” and spa water at a staff meeting.  Copied Healthy Snack Ideas document (pdf) for each teacher
	Teaching Lessons	Taught students basic nutrition label skills - sugar content, etc. Observed many students started bringing “healthy choices” for snacks, lunch and parties
	Linking to families	Hosted a fruit tasting reception for all families after the annual Kindergarten concert - a big success!
	Collaboration	Planning to introduce a  classroom healthy snack policy (pdf) to all families at Fall 2010 Kindergarten Parent Night and Back to School Night Also, demo an interactive booth providing examples of healthy snacks
	Healthy Celebrations	Hosted Healthy Valentines Celebrations (pdf)
Classroom Healthy Snack Party at Lakeshore Elementary

Find more information on creating a healthy classroom.

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