3-5 – 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.

Introduction to Corn: Botany

OBJECTIVE Students will understand the process of seed to fork through the lens of corn. Students will explore the transformation of corn over thousands of years, and how it has become the primary crop used in the US today. ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS Where does corn come from? How does eating corn affect the world? MATERIALS Teosinte […]

Grade levels 3-5

Core curriculum subjects Science

Island Grown Schools topics Farms, Food systems

The Role of a Flower

OBJECTIVE By acting out and dissecting flowers, students will understand the importance of flowers in plant reproduction and seed production. ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS Where do seeds come from? MATERIALS PROCEDURE Introduction: What are flowers? What do plants need them for? Do you think plantsinteract with other living things? We are going to examine the parts of […]

Grade levels 3-5

Core curriculum subjects Science

Island Grown Schools topics Gardens

Seed Saving

OBJECTIVE Students will go through the process of identifying and saving a particular type of seed. They will also understand the significance of saving seeds. ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS Why is seed saving important? MATERIALS NEEDED PROCEDURE Extension Ideas:

Grade levels 3-5

Core curriculum subjects Science

Island Grown Schools topics Seeds

Soil Soup

Adapted from Outdoor School Curriculum from Shaver’s Creek Environmental Center (Petersburg, PA) OBJECTIVE Students will be able to name the components that make up soil. Students will be able to discuss why it takes so long for one inch of top soil to form. ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS What is soil made of? How long does it […]

Grade levels 3-5

Core curriculum subjects Science

Island Grown Schools topics Soil

Curriculum Toolkit

Meet Sister Squash

Meet Sister Bean

Introduction to Corn: Botany

The Role of a Flower

Seed Saving

Soil Soup