This Food Systems Education Conceptual Framework is not a curriculum itself. Rather, the framework provides the foundation and organizing structure through which curricula, activity guides, programs, specific lessons and other teaching materials are developed, whether that be in a pK-12 setting or a community setting. As food systems understandings evolve, along with our food systems themselves, the framework will too evolve. View Resource »
The Soil Story Curriculum
The Soil Story Curricular Guide is designed to educate middle school students about the cycling of matter and the flow of energy among living and nonliving parts of an ecosystem. Each of the five lessons supports students with understanding how carbon, as a form of matter, moves to and from various reservoirs on Earth. Building on what the Next Generation Science Standards (Achieve, 2013) suggest students know by the end of fifth grade, this unit engages middle school learners in using a visual model to explain interactions that occur when matter cycles between the geosphere, hydrosphere, biosphere, and atmosphere. View Resource »
Journey to the Center of a Seed
A seed is more than meets the eye. In this curriculum for grades K-4, students observe, sort, and classify a variety of seeds according to different properties, and then take a journey inside a bean seed to predict and observe changes that occur during seed germination. View Resource »
Eating from the Garden
Eating From the Garden is a nutrition and gardening curriculum for fourth- and fifth-grade students. This curriculum provides research-based information through nutrition and gardening activities to increase consumption of fruits and vegetables, and promote healthier food choices, gardening knowledge, and physical activity. View Resource »
Growing Healthy Kids
Growing Healthy Kids (GHK) is a garden-themed, nutrition education curriculum best aligned to Common Core Standards for students in 2nd and 3rd grades. GHK was developed at Oregon State University for use in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Education (SNAP-Ed) program of Oregon. GHK includes seven (7) lessons with options for an outdoor, indoor, or hybrid (combination of activities from both mural and indoor gardens) garden, to give students opportunities to learn basic plant parts and try a variety of fruits and vegetables. Along with core journaling and gardening activities, lessons include food tasting activities, recipe print-outs, physical activity options, coloring sheets, and suggestions for supplemental storybooks to go with lesson themes. The GHK curriculum may be used free of charge, as long as Oregon State University Extension Service is credited appropriately: the Oregon State University Extension Service logo and a statement crediting Oregon State University Extension Service must appear on all handouts and other GHK materials. View Resource »
