Curricula – Page 22 – Island Grown Schools

Curriculum Toolkit
Over the years, we have honed in on priority curricular units for every grade level, preschool through 12th grade, that build on each other and provide a meaningful food education for the students we work with.
This Toolkit is the compilation of these units, along with their related teaching standards and sequence. We are constantly adding to this site, so please check in again soon for updates.

We designed this curriculum framework to help our students grasp the following key concepts by the time they graduate from High School:

Feel confident in making healthy food choices

Appreciate the farming profession

Know that everyone can grow food

Understand the connection between healthy soil, healthy plants and healthy people

Recognize a regenerative, local food system is inclusive and promotes a healthy ecosystem.

History of Corn in Mexico

OBJECTIVE Students will be able to define Spanish vocabulary related to corn Students will be able to how corn has changed and traveled over time ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS Where does corn come from? What does food tell us about culture? What is the story/history of the foods I eat? MATERIALS NEEDED PROCEDURE Teacher Background Information: This […]

Grade levels 3-5, 6-8

Core curriculum subjects World Language

Island Grown Schools topics Food & People, Food systems

Herb Plant Sale Unit

OBJECTIVE Students will be able to identify different herbs, and will know how to utilize herbs in a variety of ways. Students will understand the ways our ancestors used plants for food, medicine, personal care, and household uses. Students will also be able to collect and save seeds for future plantings. ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS Where does […]

Grade levels 3-5, Prek-2

Core curriculum subjects Science

Island Grown Schools topics Food systems

Herb Unit

OBJECTIVE Students will be able to plant herbs Students will be able to describe the taste/smell of different herbs Students will be able to describe different uses for herbs ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS What are herbs? How are herbs used? What foods do I eat? PROCEDURE Week One- Planting Herbs Materials: Introduction: Begin by asking students what […]

Grade levels 3-5, Prek-2

Core curriculum subjects Science

Island Grown Schools topics Gardens, Healthy Eating

Growing Classroom Pea Shoots

OBJECTIVE Students will learn about what seeds need to grow by planting, taking care of, harvesting and eating pea shoots. ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS How do seeds grow? What foods do I eat? MATERIALS NEEDED Container for plantingOrganic potting soilSoaked and un-soaked pea seeds (bag of yellow peas at grocery store is 89 cents) Just sprouting pea […]

Grade levels Prek-2

Core curriculum subjects Science

Island Grown Schools topics Seeds

Exploring Gleaning

OBJECTIVE Students will be able to infer what gleaning is based off of historical paintings. ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS What is gleaning? What is a food system? How do we create a community where everyone has access to nourishing food? MATERIALS NEEDED PROCEDURE Introduction: Tell students that they are going to explore two historical paintings that both […]

Grade levels 3-5

Core curriculum subjects Science

Island Grown Schools topics Farms

Curriculum Toolkit

History of Corn in Mexico

Herb Plant Sale Unit

Herb Unit

Herb Sachets

Growing Classroom Pea Shoots

Exploring Gleaning