3-5 – Page 8 – 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.

Tortilla Factory- Part 1

OBJECTIVE Students will explore the process of seed to fork through the lens of corn. Students will understand the cultural significance of corn, while learning new Spanish vocabulary. ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS Where does my food come from? How do the foods I eat affect the world? MATERIALS NEEDED • La Tortilleria, by Gary Paulsen and Ruth […]

Grade levels 3-5

Core curriculum subjects Science

Island Grown Schools topics Food systems

History of Corn in Mexico

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 U.S. today. ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS What is corn? Where does corn come from? How does eating corn affect the […]

Grade levels 3-5

Core curriculum subjects Science

Island Grown Schools topics 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 learn some of the uses for herbs. ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS What are herbs? What are they used for? Do we eat herbs? What is the connection between taste and smell? Objectives: Students will learn about the connection between taste and smell. What herbs are growing? How do types of herbs look different? How […]

Grade levels 3-5, Prek-2

Core curriculum subjects Science

Island Grown Schools topics Gardens, Healthy Eating

Gleaning Introduction

OBJECTIVE Students will understand the historical significance of gleaning and its place in our community today. ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS What is gleaning? Why is it important? MATERIALS NEEDED N/A PROCEDURE Activity: What is gleaning?a. Hear ideas from students. Make list.b. Introduce images as historical artifacts. Students must try to find out what gleaning is based on […]

Grade levels 3-5

Core curriculum subjects Science

Island Grown Schools topics Farms

Curriculum Toolkit

Tortilla Factory- Part 1

History of Corn in Mexico

Herb Plant Sale Unit

Herb Unit

Gleaning Introduction

Gleaning Lesson