Food is Elementary 2001

Food is Elementary(c) 2001 by Antonia Demas, Ph.D. is a unique curriculum integrating academic disciplines with food, nutrition, culture and the arts. The curriculum is a research-based program modeled after the award-winning Trumansburg, NY study, "Food Education in the Elementary Classroom".

The Trumansburg study published in 1995 demonstrated that a food-based curriculum results in dramatic dietary acceptance of diverse healthful foods among children in the elementary school lunch program.

Additionally, the study showed that a hands-on, experiential, food-based curriculum provides academic enrichment for all students. Designed for teachers and volunteer food educators, this book contains 28 sequential (and 8 supplemental) lessons with age-appropriate lesson plans for pre-K through 2nd grade and 3rd grade through 8th grade in addition to equipment lists and "how to" guidelines. The USDA food pyramid and basic nutritional principles are featured. Academic disciplines including art, geography, history, language arts, mathematics, science, and writing are integrated into lessons. Each lesson plan can be taught in a one-hour class, or topics may be selected for presentation in shorter time periods. All lessons are participatory: students and parents use all five senses to study whole foods, cook, create art, plant seeds, and write in journals. Students prepare and consume cold food in the first semester and hot international entrees in the second semester. The eight additional lessons feature hot international entrees.

The Food is Elementary curriculum meets state education requirements in most states and implements USDA guidelines.