Tasting Tuesdays at Sherman Elementary in San Francisco
Inspired by a California Academy of Sciences teacher institute, third-grade teacher Michelle Kishimoto plans to open a conversation about food and sustainability in her classroom by incorporating Nourish into her weekly Tasting Tuesday lessons.
“How does thinking about systems help us understand our role in them?” This was the focus question I studied during my two weeks at the Teacher Institute on Science and Sustainability. The two-year program, designed by the California Academy of Sciences as a professional development resource for educators, introduced me to the Nourish initiative.
My cohort of teachers had the privilege of visiting the farmer’s market at San Francisco’s Ferry Building on a weekday. We had been looking at all of the systems that go into food production, distribution, consumption, and disposal.
Before we headed out to talk with the farmers and purchase food, we were asked to sit in chairs in front of a TV screen. I could barely contain my excitement when Elizabeth Charnas from the Nourish initiative began speaking about the Curriculum Guide developed for educators. When she showed us examples of the Nourish short films, I instantly knew how I could use them. Then she passed out a sample activity from the curriculum that allows students make their own seasonal circle. I couldn’t stop smiling.
In my classroom, I provide my students with a tasting each week to introduce new foods. I have a pre-made seasonal circle in my classroom and now each student gets to add to his or her own Nourish seasonal circle with each tasting!
The Nourish curriculum and videos let me expand my students’ knowledge about their relationship to food. I can’t wait to use a couple of the short videos to launch my Tasting Tuesday during the very first week of school.
I have already watched each video and made notes on the ways I will use each topic throughout the school year. Thank you Nourish for the work you are doing to educate students about food and sustainability.
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