Post by Okwes on Apr 5, 2007 15:02:39 GMT -5
Fourth-graders wind up lesson with meal
By PAUL H. HEINTZ, Reformer Staff BRATTLEBORO
Fourth-grade students at the Green Street School ended a three-month lesson on the history of Vermont food production Tuesday night with a locally grown, multi-course meal.
With the help of Tristan Toleno of the Riverview Cafe, 40 students donned chef's hats and spent the day preparing for an evening feast at the Brattleboro VFW hall.
They served a meal of shepherd's pie, maple-glazed chicken, cheese quiche and roasted vegetables to a group of 150 parents, teachers, farmers and students.
"It was absolutely phenomenal here in the morning," teacher Barbara Hodgdon said. "Picture eight groups of kids all cutting and chopping. It was just a phenomenal feeling."
Hodgdon and Laura White spent the past several months teaching their fourth-graders about the history of Vermont food production from the time of the Abenaki to the present day.
Incorporating social studies, science and other disciplines into the curriculum, Hodgdon and White made use of the Green Street School's new community garden to teach their students about agricultural trends.
"They've been learning how it's changed from a local economy to a national and global economy,"
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White said. "And they've been learning that agriculture is still a big part of Vermont's economy."
On Thursday and Friday last week, the fourth-graders visited eight area farms in small groups, observing how farmers keep produce fresh during the winter months. While they were there, they picked up the ingredients for Tuesday night's feast.
"The kids came away saying 'oh my gosh,'" White said about the farm visits. Students showed off what they learned about farming with projects they displayed on each of the tables at Tuesday night's event.
According to White and Hodgdon, the feast would never have happened without the support of community members and donations from the Strolling of the Heifers Foundation and Organic Valley Cooperatives.
"It's become a community thing," White said, "Parents are getting involved and it's really been a community builder."
Toleno said he became involved in the project because he knows a lot about buying local produce and has two children at the school.
"I'm not used to having a full kitchen brigade of 40 fourth-graders," he said. "I was thinking if I could only get them to come work for me over the summer, I'd be all set."
White said that the timing of the project had the added bonus of showing students how difficult the winter months can be for farmers.
"This part of the year is the hardest time to eat local vegetables," she said. "If you can do it now, you can do it anytime."
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Paul Heintz can be reached at pheintz@reformer.com, or 802-254-2311, ext. 275.
By PAUL H. HEINTZ, Reformer Staff BRATTLEBORO
Fourth-grade students at the Green Street School ended a three-month lesson on the history of Vermont food production Tuesday night with a locally grown, multi-course meal.
With the help of Tristan Toleno of the Riverview Cafe, 40 students donned chef's hats and spent the day preparing for an evening feast at the Brattleboro VFW hall.
They served a meal of shepherd's pie, maple-glazed chicken, cheese quiche and roasted vegetables to a group of 150 parents, teachers, farmers and students.
"It was absolutely phenomenal here in the morning," teacher Barbara Hodgdon said. "Picture eight groups of kids all cutting and chopping. It was just a phenomenal feeling."
Hodgdon and Laura White spent the past several months teaching their fourth-graders about the history of Vermont food production from the time of the Abenaki to the present day.
Incorporating social studies, science and other disciplines into the curriculum, Hodgdon and White made use of the Green Street School's new community garden to teach their students about agricultural trends.
"They've been learning how it's changed from a local economy to a national and global economy,"
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Advertisement
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
White said. "And they've been learning that agriculture is still a big part of Vermont's economy."
On Thursday and Friday last week, the fourth-graders visited eight area farms in small groups, observing how farmers keep produce fresh during the winter months. While they were there, they picked up the ingredients for Tuesday night's feast.
"The kids came away saying 'oh my gosh,'" White said about the farm visits. Students showed off what they learned about farming with projects they displayed on each of the tables at Tuesday night's event.
According to White and Hodgdon, the feast would never have happened without the support of community members and donations from the Strolling of the Heifers Foundation and Organic Valley Cooperatives.
"It's become a community thing," White said, "Parents are getting involved and it's really been a community builder."
Toleno said he became involved in the project because he knows a lot about buying local produce and has two children at the school.
"I'm not used to having a full kitchen brigade of 40 fourth-graders," he said. "I was thinking if I could only get them to come work for me over the summer, I'd be all set."
White said that the timing of the project had the added bonus of showing students how difficult the winter months can be for farmers.
"This part of the year is the hardest time to eat local vegetables," she said. "If you can do it now, you can do it anytime."
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Paul Heintz can be reached at pheintz@reformer.com, or 802-254-2311, ext. 275.