At the start of the school year, Layne Langley, LSU AgCenter Area Nutrition & Community Health Agent began conducting nutrition and gardening classes during Play 60 (PE time) classes of Lanya Mayer, Lisa Washington, and Anna McEvers.

In September, both Pre-K and kindergarten classes learned the rules and tools of the garden and participated in a Garden Scavenger Hunt. During the October classes, Pre-K students met The OrganWise Guys through School Days Here We Come book. The children enjoyed learning about these lovable plush organs like Hardy Heart, Calci M. Bone and Sid & Kid the Kidney Brothers. The kindergarteners discovered the five food groups of MyPlate and had fun participating in MyPlate Match Up. Both grades helped prepare the 10 raised beds for planting. They were thrilled to plant carrots, radish, broccoli, and peas.

The Fruit and Vegetable Groups were highlighted in November and December. The Pre-K children continued learning from the OrganWise Guys. They love them! They were taught to eat a variety of colors of fruits and vegetables for a healthy body in Concentrating in Fruits and Vegetables book. They played “Hot” Potato and “Hot” Banana where they tossed a plush potato or banana to a classmate while naming a different fruit or vegetable. The kindergarteners learned the benefits of eating fruits and vegetables, the forms we can find fruits and vegetables, as well as the parts of the plant we eat. The kindergarteners were excited to participate in the Color Relay where they raced to draw a fruit or vegetable that corresponded to the color marker they were given. The children enjoyed seeing the artwork of their fellow classmates. Both grades continued watering the plants in the garden.

Langley provides the children with a nutrition education reinforcement item each time she works with them. The items so far have included stickers and fruit and vegetable pencils. She also provides the families with nutrition resources about the topic the children were taught about during the nutrition and school garden Play 60 classes.

Special thanks to the Feliciana Master Gardeners for their donation of soil, watering cans, garden tools, seeds, and transplants.

For more information about the nutrition programs at Bains Lower Elementary or programs in the parish, please contact Layne Langley at 225-635-3614 or at lalangley@agcenter.lsu.edu