What is Harvest of the Month? What resources are available? How do I use these resources? Why should I adopt Harvest of the Month?

These are all great questions to ask. And, you can find the answers in the Harvest of the Month Fact Sheet, Quick Start Guide and Educator Newsletter Training Guide. Whether you are a seasoned user or entirely new to Harvest of the Month, we recommend reviewing these background materials first to begin your training.

 

 Fact Sheet (PDF): This two-page overview is ideal for a variety of target audiences, but especially for people who are just starting to learn about Harvest of the Month. In addition to general background information, the Fact Sheet features brief descriptions (and picture examples) of the monthly elements and how each of these resources can be used.

 

Quick Start Guide (PDF, 1MB): This two-page guide features the "10 Steps to Implement Harvest of the Month." It provides key steps to starting a school site program, hints for conducting training sessions and information on how to order, print and personalize the monthly resources. There is even a section for taking notes during in-person trainings. (See Helpful Hint note.)

Educator Newsletter Training Guide (PDF, 2MB): This four-page guide is a great tool for both trainers and educators who will use the newsletters in classrooms. This guide examines the content contained within the monthly newsletters and identifies how activities can be linked to several core curricular areas and the Network’s Children’s Power Play! Campaign. Space is provided on each page for taking notes during in-person trainings. (See Helpful Hint note.)

Next, view the 11-minute DVD (WMV) to get a visual experience of Harvest of the Month in action.

Now that you have become familiar with Harvest of the Month, we recommend taking the time to read the Instructional Guide, How to Grow Healthy Students (PDF, 7MB).* This 32-page guide takes an in-depth look at Harvest of the Month by:

• providing additional history and background information (pages 2-5);
• describing in detail the key monthly elements, including the target audience, users and main activities (pages 6-9);
• demonstrating how the monthly elements address each of the five levels of the Social Ecological Model (individual, interpersonal, organizational, community and policy) (pages 10-15);
• highlighting key strategies for implementation and collaboration within the school community (pages 16-21); and,
• providing ideas for forming partnerships outside of the school community, such as with other Network campaigns and programs, the retail environment and media (pages 24-25).

We strongly encourage sharing How to Grow Healthy Students with anyone who is thinking about starting or planning to start a Harvest of the Month program. It is also a great resource to share with people who want to learn more about how the program works (e.g., policymakers, school/district officials).
 
*NOTE:This guide references an “enclosed Harvest of the Month CD.” This CD is no longer in circulation. All materials that were previously on the CD are now available on the main Harvest of the Month Web site. The Web site will always post the most current and accurate materials, including the monthly elements. If you have one of these old CDs, please be advised that the files may no longer be accurate and/or up-to-date. We recommend appropriately discarding these CDs.

This step is to prepare those who will conduct a formal presentation to others, such as:

• Training the Trainers (Site Coordinators, Program Coordinators, Lead Teachers, Nutrition Liaisons, Network staff responsible for training teachers)
• Training Teachers

NOTE: If you are doing this training informally on your own, you may proceed to Step 5.

To get ready for your training, download the Prepare (PDF) worksheet. It provides a list of all the materials you will need and the steps to take prior to training, the day of training, and even ideas for arranging the training room. It also includes the estimated time it will take to complete each step.

Next, you will need to Download and Print these materials in order to conduct your training (see Helpful Hint for tip on downloading materials):

Training Procedures (specific to your target audience)

Procedures for Training the Trainers (PDF, 2MB) Procedures for Training Teachers (PDF, 2MB)

PowerPoint Presentations and Talking Points (specific to your target audience)

Training the Trainers (PPT, 32MB) Training Teachers (PPT, 32MB) Diagram A (PDF) Flip chart Diagram B (PDF) "Key Sections of Educator Newsletters" signage Networking Activity Interview (PDF, 1MB) Training Evaluation (PDF ) Worksheets - Comming Soon

Finally, you will need to make training packet folders. Each training participant (site coordinators and teachers) should receive a training packet with the handouts listed in the below check-off list. We recommend placing these handouts in a two-pocket folder.

NOTE: Proceed to Step 5 to download all handouts listed on the right side.

How to Prepare Training Packet Folders:

Printer Friendly Version

You are almost ready to go!

Now, it is time for you to download these handouts so you can either:

begin training others, OR complete the training for yourself to become more familiar with how to use the resources.

(See Helpful Hint for tip on downloading materials.)

Sample Monthly Elements
Download and print these samples of the monthly elements – featuring dried fruits – to become familiar with the content and activities contained in each newsletter. If you would like to use samples of a different featured produce item, please visit the Download Monthly Elements page.

NOTE: For the training packets, these handouts should go in the right side of folder.

• Dried Fruits Educator Newsletter (PDF, 2MB)
• Dried Fruits Family Newsletters English (PDF) ... Spanish
• Dried Fruits Menu Slick (PDF, 2MB) ... Spanish
• Dried Fruits Answer Key for Student Sleuths (PDF)

Sample Activities from Educator Newsletters
These are samples of activities from the educator newsletters. The Links to California Content Standards provides information on how each activity may support one of the core curricular areas, which include health education, English-language arts, science, history-social science, mathematics and physical education.

Remember that these samples should go in the right side of the folder in the training folder packets (as described in Step 4).  

• Taste Testing grid (PD ) Exploring California Dried Fruits
• Rate the Taste worksheet (PDF) From the Children’s Power Play! Campaign
• Nutrition Fact labels (PDF) Raisins, dates, dried figs, dried plums
• Botanical images (PDF) Grapes
• Links to California Content Standards
  • Prekindergarten (PDF)
  • Grades K-2 (PDF)
  • Grades 3-5 (PDF)
  • Grades 6-8 (PDF)
  • Grades 9-12 (PDF)

Nutrition Information
These are some general nutrition handouts developed by the Network and USDA.

• Nutrition Glossary (PDF)
• MyPyramid Getting Started (PDF)
• Anatomy of MyPyramid (PDF )

Taste Testing and Cooking in Class Activities
These handouts can help prepare those who are doing classroom cooking demonstrations and taste testing with students.

• Classroom Cooking Cart Equipment (PDF)
• Safe Food Handling Techniques (PDF)