The Marion County Cooperative Extension office Expanded Food and Nutrition program partnered with one of the local elementary schools. This school was needing the My Plate Curriculum taught to all of the 1^st grade classes. Classes were held once a month and a new food group was covered each month. Each food group was discussed and the importance of each group for our bodies was learned as well. One class in particular was very interested in the vegetable group that they even started their own plants from seeds. They were particularly interested in the learning about where their food comes from and the process that is involved in that. A student wrote to me that, “they start with planting a seed in the ground and you have to water it, then when it is done growing you have to pick the produce and wash it.” “Then you can eat the vegetable raw or cook it.”

This just goes to show you that the My Plate curriculum is very effective in keeping the children engaged and learning about the good foods for our bodies and they actually are able to learn where their food comes from when they are eating it.