- Author: Claudia Carlos
- Author: Chutima Ganthavorn
- Editor: Michele Tabor
With technology, the traditional brain break in the classroom has gone digital! Over 650 teachers participated in the Brain Breaks in the Virtual World session at the Alvord Unified Distance Learning Virtual Summit on August 3, 2020. CalFresh Healthy Living (CFHL), UCCE Riverside County teamed up with Bethany Rivera, Wellness Lead at Loma Vista Middle School, to provide this training for TK through 12th grade teachers. The Virtual Summit hosted on Google Meets featured teachers teaching their peers - about live online learning strategies and socioemotional distance learning. The CFHL, UCCE team's presentation included four virtual physical activity breaks (brain breaks) demonstrations for lower elementary, upper elementary, middle and high school. The team created a teacher resource list with links to virtual PA videos for the four grade levels.
For any student (and adult), sitting in front of a device to do distance learning is a lot of mental work and students may need a break in the middle of their virtual classes. CFHL, UCCE team showed real life examples of brain break activities appropriate for different age groups. Out of the 230 teachers who responded to the Mentimeter poll, 88% said they are very likely or likely to schedule a physical activity break during their virtual lessons. The Riverside CFHL, UCCE team is grateful for the strong partnership with Alvord Unified (AUSD) which led to this training opportunity and the support of Patti Suppe, CAHPERD President and past AUSD District Wellness Lead. We are hopeful that Alvord students will greatly benefit from the resources shared at this session.
Aldrich Tan, Special Education Teacher at McAuliffe Elementary School shared feedback after the training: “You were amazing! Teachers in the stands loved it and they loved the opportunities to stand up. One teacher said it was the best session of the day.”
- Author: Claudia Carlos
- Author: Chutima Ganthavorn
- Contributor: Eva Mayer, UCCE Master Gardener
Earlier this school year, over 50 students, parents, Master Gardeners and school staff, including Principal Jeffrey Diulio gathered after school in the school garden to watch Chef Sean Stewart cook three delicious fall soups: pumpkin, Green Goddess, and Acqua Cotta (“Cooked Water”). UC Master Gardener Eva Mayer said, “Presentation was gorgeous, it looked as good as it all tasted! The pumpkin soup had a crème fraîche swirl and pumpkin seeds on top - sorry I didn't take a photo before eating it." With Eva's guidance, garden club youth transplanted cardinal vines seedlings, which hummingbirds love, and sold them for 25 cents each. Chef Sean's 6th grader sold flowers grown in her home garden to raise money for future cooking demonstrations in the garden. Her flower arrangements and sales brought in $34.00! Youth garden club members were very pleased to try the fall soups with toasted French baguette and even purchased seedlings to support their own school garden.
CFHL,UC and UC Master Gardeners partnership has introduced youth, parents and staff to gardening, cooking skills and trying new vegetables such as spinach, kale, and pumpkin grown in the school garden. CFHL,UC has seen an increase in garden club participation from just 3-5 students on Friday mornings before school to groups of 10-15 twice a week.
Arizona Middle School, CFHL,UC and Master Gardeners are especially grateful for parent champions, Raquel and Sean, for recently submitting a garden grant and for donating their time, talent and for generously providing so much to the Arizona Middle School Garden.
