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Introduction Overall Goal and Objectives Experiential Learning Life Skills Program Evaluation Lesson Plan Format Introduction 4-H Growing Connections is a garden- enhanced nutrition education curriculum for youth that includes: planning and planting a garden, developing nutrition and cooking skills, building food security and hunger awareness, and enhancing food safety and preservation skills. 4-H Growing Connections is designed for youth age 5-18. The curriculum is designed to be used successfully with a mixed age group of youth. The primary theme emphasized throughout the curriculum is making healthy food choices. The curriculum is divided into five sections: Gardening, Food Safety, Nutrition, Food Security, and Food Preservation. Each section includes objectives, background information for the instructor, planned observations for evaluation, one to three lesson plans to choose from, and a list of supplies needed. The format for each lesson plan is to begin the lesson with an opening circle, present the main activity for the day, prepare a cooking recipe or share a prepared snack, do a group building activity if time permits, and end with a closing circle. Each lesson plan is 1 1/2 to 2 hours long and is designed according to the experiential learning model of active learning, reflection, and application. It is recommended that each student participate in a minimum of six hours of program time. One of the primary goals of 4-H Growing Connections is that youth will increase their preference for the taste of fruits and vegetables by developing life skills to grow a garden and prepare and preserve food in a safe way. In order to find out how the students’ knowledge and choices are influenced by the program, the instructor administers a pre/post evaluation tool and planned observations. (See Program Evaluation for more details.) 4-H Growing Connections can be used by school age child care education programs, organized 4-H and 4-H Cloverbud clubs, special interest/short term programs, day and resident camps, school enrichment programs, summer food service programs, parents, Master Gardeners, and adult volunteers. Overall Goal Youth will understand the connections between personal health and well being, food secure communities, and the environment by developing life skills to grow fruits and vegetables and prepare and preserve food in a safe way. Through this program youth will want to garden, prepare healthful recipes using freshly harvested produce, and share the fruits of their labor with others in their community. Objectives The objectives of 4-H Growing Connections are based on the Social Cognitive Theory which emphasizes key factors that influence health behaviors and behavior change. Each of the following objectives corresponds with one of these factors. The lesson plans address these objectives through activities, reflection, application, and evaluation. A. FOOD ENVIRONMENT Youth will increase their awareness of the varieties of locally grown produce by actively participating in: Growing vegetables in a group and/or container garden. Preparing at least one dish with fresh produce. B.  SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE The skills and knowledge are outlined at the beginning each section and correspond to levels of learning as identified by the labels  1  2  or   3. Each skill and knowledge level must be mastered before a student goes on to the next. An instructor can expect each level to be mastered according to the following age groups: Level 1 = ages 5-7; Level 2 = ages 8-10; Level 3  = ages 11 and older. The instructor can use the same lesson plan for a mixed age group of youth by emphasizing reflective questions that correspond to the skills and knowledge as they are defined in each section. C. HEALTH BENEFITS Youth will recognize that the health benefits of eating more fruits and vegetables: Provides their body with more energy to be physically active. Supports their body to be fit and healthy so they feel good about their body. D. VALUING NUTRITIOUS FOOD Youth will develop an increased preference for the taste of fruits & vegetables by: Growing fresh produce. Using recipes that are child tested and approved E. SELF-MONITORING Youth will set and monitor goals to: Eat 5 servings of fruits and vegetables a day. F. OBSERVATIONAL LEARNING Youth will learn from each other by observation and demonstration as they: Garden. Taste fresh produce. Keep hands and surfaces clean when preparing, cooking, or serving food. Role play the experience of hunger and the process of sharing food with others. G. RECOGNITION Youth will be given recognition for: Completing their goal to eat 5 servings of fruits and vegetables a day. H. EMOTIONAL COPING RESPONSES Youth will: Increase their level of comfort in trying new fruits and vegetables. I. CONFIDENCE BUILDING Youth will plant a group garden and/or container garden to enhance their confidence in their ability to grow food. Youth will practice safety skills and safe food handling skills in the kitchen to enhance their confidence to prepare and preserve fresh food. Experiential Learning Each lesson plan in 4-H Growing Connections provides activities that are based on the experiential learning process. Lessons strive to involve young people in the experiences that require them to interact, analyze, question, reflect, and connect what they have learned to other situations. The activity comes first; the “learning” comes from the “discovery” of new knowledge and skills as a result of the experience. This is the “learning-by-doing” process. Hands-on involvement is the most effective method for learning this material. It helps youth learn personal initiative, hard work, patience and deferred gratification. If youth need assistance completing a task, instructors should guide them—but not do the work for them. Doing the work for them may prevent children from learning by trial and error, practicing skills, and becoming competent and capable. Instructors have a unique opportunity to help youth validate themselves as capable people which builds self-esteem and sense of worth. Throughout the lessons, step-by-step information is provided for the instructor. An answer has been provided for some questions; however most questions do not require an exact answer. In addition to providing an opportunity for feedback, the purpose of the question is to affirm and validate the perceptions of the students. Experiential Learning Model Cooperative State Research, Education and Extension Services (CSREES) DO: This is the actual doing part of the activity where students EXPERIENCE the activity. REFLECT: This section includes questions for students to share and process what they have learned and to write and draw in their journals on important aspects of the subject matter. Students SHARE what they did, observed, and how they felt. Students PROCESS important aspects of the subject matter content, the experience, and the use of the life skill. These reflection questions correspond to the levels of learning outlined on the first page of each section. APPLY: This section includes more questions to help students generalize and apply what they have learned to new situations. Students CONNECT what they are learning across subject areas by generalizing and identifying how the skills and knowledge gained are useful in other situations. Student APPLY what they have learned by setting and monitoring goals to practice the life skills they are learning and share what they have learned with others. Students TAKE IT FURTHER by exploring additional activities at home and in their community. Life Skills Life skills are defined as abilities, knowledge, attitudes, and behavior that are learned for success and happiness. Life skills enable people to adapt to and master their life situations. Through development of life skills, youth learn to live comfortably with others, express their own feelings safely, love life, and welcome new experiences. The Targeting Life Skills Model includes four of the key life skills that are emphasized throughout the 4-H Growing Connections curriculum. These life skills include: HEAD - Thinking Clearly state my thoughts, feelings, and ideas to others.   HEART - Cooperation Work well with others and be able to follow instructions.   HANDS - Leadership Act as a good role model and motivate others to action.   HEALTH - Choices Make healthy food choices. Targeting Life Skills Model Emphasis on learning and developing life skills can be facilitated through the use of the 4-H Growing Connections journals. The journals are meant to be records for youth to set goals and monitor their progress with the life skills they are learning. Instructors can use the Life Skills Record Sheet to reflect with students the life skills that they are learning and practicing. Life Skills Record Sheet (PDF file: requires Adobe Acrobat Reader) Program Evaluation 4-H Growing Connections utilizes the following evaluation tools to measure the effect of the program on youth participants. Pre / Post Test: Youth place vegetable and fruit stickers on an answer sheet using a scale of “I like it” J,  “It’s okay” K,  “I don’t like it” L, “I don’t know/ Never tried it” [?] . Older youth are given a vegetable and fruit chart instead of stickers. These tests are administered on the first day that each individual student attends the program and on the last day of the entire program series.  Pre and Post Tests are matched by the instructor for each individual and then analyzed to measure the change in food preference.   Planned Observations Spread Sheet: Each lesson plan includes a list of “planned observations”. These observations are made by instructors when delivering each lesson plan and recorded on the “Planned Observation” spread sheet.   Evaluation Summary Sheet: Other data is recorded on the “Evaluation Summary” sheet including: statistical information, civil rights group enrollment data, and other observations such as journals, quotes, and success stories.   Self-Monitoring Sheets: Youth are given multiple opportunities to set and monitor a goal to eat five fruits and vegetables a day for five consecutive days. The self-monitoring sheets “Eat your way to 5 A Day” is for younger students and the “I Tried It Chart” is for older students. It is recommended to provide youth with an opportunity to receive recognition from the group for completing their goal.  For example, during the opening or closing circle students who complete their goal can be given recognition awards such as stickers, pencils, erasers and/or verbal recognition. 2004 Program Evaluation Materials (PDF files; require Adobe Acrobat Reader) Pre/Post Test     Order Form     Fruit and Vegetable "Stickers"     Fruit and Vegetable "Chart" Planned Observation Sheet Evaluation Summary Sheet Self Monitoring Sheets     Eat Your Way 5 – A – Day!      “I Tried it” Chart Lesson Plan Format Each lesson plan of 4-H Growing Connections is approximately 1 ½ to 2 hours long. Each lesson plan is outlined in the following format. OPENING CIRCLE 15 minutes Greeting: Students greet each other by name to provide one another with a sense of recognition and belonging. Sharing: One or two students share what the group did during the previous day’s or week’s activity. Sharing provides practice in listening and speaking skills. Group Building Activity: The whole group does a short activity that builds group identity, cooperation, and active participation. Plan of the day: Instructor’s share the plan for the day to build excitement about the activities and to ease transition into the day. MAIN ACTIVITY 20 - 30 minutes Each main activity follows the Experiential Learning Model and includes time to DO the activity and REFLECT on the experience. The main activity covers one of the following topics: Planning and Planting a Garden, Food Safety, Nutrition, Food Security or Food Preservation. COOKING RECIPE OR PREPARED SNACK 20 – 45 minutes The instructor cooks a recipe with students or shares a prepared snack depending on how much time is available after the main activity for the day. This reemphasizes the nutrition theme and making healthy food choices throughout the program. GROUP BUILDING ACTIVITIES 10- 15 minutes These activities strengthen group identity, active listening skills, and participation through physically active, fun, cooperative games that use gardening and vegetables as a theme. They are available as time permits. Some require advanced preparation by the instructor. CLOSING CIRCLE 15 minutes The closing circle is a good time for the youth to: CONNECT what they have learned to the other situations. APPLY what they have learned by setting goals and identifying ways to share what they have learned with others. This is also a good time for youth to reflect on the life skills that they are learning and record this in their journals.