Since August, Layne Langley, LSU AgCenter area nutrition and community health agent, has conducted nutrition and gardening classes during the Play 60 — physical education time — classes of Lanya Mayer, Lisa Washington and Anna McEvers.

The fruit and vegetable groups were highlighted in November and December. The Pre-K children continued learning from the OrganWise Guys. And another book taught them to eat a variety of colors of fruits and vegetables. They played “Hot” Potato and “Hot” Banana where they tossed a plush potato or banana to a classmate while naming a different fruit or vegetable. The kindergarteners also learned the benefits of eating fruits and vegetables, learning the forms of plants and the parts of the plant we eat. The kindergarteners were in a color relay where they raced to draw a fruit or vegetable that corresponded to the color marker they were given. Both grades continued watering the plants in the garden.

In September, both Pre-K and kindergarten classes learned the rules and tools of the garden and participated in a garden scavenger hunt.

In October, Pre-K students met The OrganWise Guys through the “School Days Here We Come” book. Human organs are made into plushies for the lessons. The kindergarteners discovered the five food groups of MyPlate and played a related game. Both grades helped prepare the 10 raised beds for planting, planting carrots, radish, broccoli and peas.

Langley provides the children with a nutrition education reinforcement item each time she works with them. The items so far have included stickers and fruit and vegetable pencils. She also provides the families with nutrition resources about the topic the children were taught about during the classes.