Documentation: One weekly schedule or lesson plan that shows cooking or taste testing opportunities for children and photos of learning materials used to teach children about food and where it comes from.
Best Practice Requirements: The documentation should show that at the facility:
- During the growing season, preschool children do cooking or taste test activities one time per week or more.
- Four or more of the following materials are used to teach children about food and where it comes from:
- Posters or pictures of fruits or vegetables, plant growth, or farming
- Books about fruits or vegetables, plant growth, or farming
- Fruits, vegetables, and/or farming toys in centers
- Posters, pictures, and/or books about food or farms that reflect the culture, race, or ethnicity of enrolled children, families, and staff
- Posters, pictures, and/or books about food or farms that expose children to people, foods, and cultures different from their own
- Books that tell the stories of farmers and farmworkers of color
Application: Describe what children did as part of the activity shown on the weekly schedule and name which four of the types of learning materials are pictured.
FAQ’s:
Should the weekly schedule I email be a Word document, pdf, or photo? Whatever is easiest for you!
Does making salsa, salad, or another recipe in which the food is not actually cooked count as cooking? Yes, salsa, dip, smoothie, and salad recipes are fun, easy, tasty, and age-appropriate cooking activities for preschool children.
Do posters, pictures, and books about fruits, vegetables, and farming that children and classrooms have created count for these learning materials? Yes, as long as they are displayed or accessible to be read by children.
Go back to Application and Documentation, or
REACH Recognition 