Food Education In A New Way: Free Lessons and Resources for all!
Green Beetz provides educators with a free, ready-to-teach curriculum for 4th-7th graders about the modern food system, nutrition, and sustainability.
Teaching your students about food can be tricky.
The food landscape has changed monumentally in the past 50 years, and food is at the nexus of some of the most pressing social issues of our time – public health, social justice, environmental degradation, and global warming.
And let’s be honest - very few kids are chomping at the bit (pun intended) to learn about nutrition, healthy eating, and food sustainability.
Plus,
You’re under a time crunch to teach the required material with little to no resources for creative thinking or interactive lessons.
You have diverse student populations, you want to promote inclusivity, and create an environment that respects and appreciates diverse food cultures.
You’re fighting against unhealthy food marketing and doing the best you can to stay updated on how to teach complex concepts while also keeping it fun.
We get it. You need a better way to get elementary and middle school kids the information they need while using innovative media, tools, and hands-on activities to teach them.
STEM-based, Next Generation-aligned ready-to-teach curriculum? Yes please!
What if your lesson plans for that rowdy 5th-grade class were already done for you? Or your 7th graders actually looked forward to learning about how their food grows?
Sounds impossible, huh? Give yourself just a minute to imagine:
You finally have the inclusive and interactive curriculum you want that encourages students to think holistically about the modern food system.
Your students are learning about how their food choices matter -- not just for the health of their bodies, but also for the health of the planet. And they’re enjoying it!
Innovative video and hands-on activities are blending seamlessly into your classroom learning materials - and you didn’t have to write them or pay for them. (We’ll get to that - yes, it’s 100% free. Really.)
“Through this program, my students are becoming educated consumers, savvy at reading food labels, are learning to cook and garden, are tasting farm fresh fruits and vegetables, and look at food differently now. Having GreenBeetz come into our school, my classroom specifically, has opened the minds and eating habits of students who otherwise wouldn’t have an opportunity or access."
– Helene Sorkin, PS 32
Green Beetz bridges the gap between today’s unhealthy food system and nutrition education.
Founded in 2013 by Dr. Anna Chapman, a psychiatrist, Andrew Chapman, a restauranteur, and Tracey Kemble, an entertainment veteran, Green Beetz originally bridged the gap between the lack of healthy food options and nutrition education in Harlem, NY. (see our story here)
As a non-profit that empowers elementary and middle school students to navigate the modern food system and to make healthy and sustainable food choices, we’ve had a front-row seat to watch the magic of our curriculum transform how thousands of students learn about how their food choices matter—not just for the health of their bodies, but also for the health of the planet.
How The Green Beetz Curriculum Works With You
Teachers get free access to lesson plans & videos.
Thanks to the generous support of our founders, donors, and partners, access to the Green Beetz Curriculum is 100% free for educators. The only requirement is to sign-up online so that we may follow-up to see how the curriculum is working in your classroom.
Classrooms become incubators to help students navigate nutrition.
Our curriculum deepens the discussion around food to include questions that stimulate ethical, social, and self-reflection - how the choices students make about what to eat impacts their bodies, the environment, and the society in which they live.
Students learn and grow, changing the world around them.
Green Beetz students become food advocates at school, at home, and in their communities! And, we help you connect students to tools to help them navigate healthy and sustainable food options in their neighborhoods while supporting broader policy change.
Download your free nutrition lesson plans – your students will love it!
What our students and teachers are saying about Green Beetz
“We have successfully used the Green Beetz program in our 5th grade curriculum over the past years. We have written research based argument essays from focusing on student relevant topics such as whether chocolate milk should be banned at the school cafeteria” – Keira Dillon, PS 163
“My favorite lesson is when we learned about the commercials and the tricks they play on you.”
— Nataniel, PS 183
“Through Green Beetz curriculum, scholars were given the opportunity to try new foods, engage in games, and experience memorable field trips that will shape them into better food citizens. Not only will this impact their personal lives, but can also impact their families and communities. ”
— Ms. Gonzalez, 5th grade teacher, PS 160
Questions about our free lesson plans?
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Right here on our download page
If you previously registered as a member, you should have received an email with an updated link and password to access the lesson plans. If you do not see that email, please contact us and we will send you the information.
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Usually the lessons are taught by teachers within schools or after-school programs. Our curriculum is optimally designed for 4th-7th grade level
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No. Green Beetz adapts a train-the-trainer model, where we offer our lesson plans, videos, resources and materials for access and download.
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You set your pace depending on what you want to achieve and teach within the flexibility and timeframe of your classroom and other commitments. Some teachers teach Green Beetz as often as twice a week, typically once a week, and sometimes every couple of weeks throughout the entire school year.
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In the past, when we were a very small program in only 8 - 15 schools in NYC, we provided the classroom lesson snacks. Unfortunately as we have expanded we only suggest complimentary snacks to offer with each lesson. If possible, we encourage you to still serve the snacks as they are a critical learning component to each lesson topic.
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Please direct your friend or colleague towards our registration page.
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Unlimited! The lesson plans are geared for 4th - 7th grade levels.
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Yes, Green Beetz is very successful in after-school programs.
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Yes, Green Beetz works in summer camps! We have a strong partnership with NYC YMCA summer camps, and would love to offer summer programming for Public Schools and other community-based organizations.
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We are happy to work with you to organize a parent workshop based in NYC. Please contact us for more information!
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Not anymore! Green Beetz is now available nationally and internationally for any educator to register with us and access all of our lessons and resources. However, Green Beetz is based in New York City so our curriculum will have pieces of NYC within it and we can offer in-person workshops and other connections to New York City organizations.
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Yes, really! Thanks to our generous founders, partners, and donors, we’re able to offer it 100% free.
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Please email us if you have any feedback about the program at office@greenbeetz.org or complete our survey online! We would love to hear from you!
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Not currently. In the past we have and if you would like to receive training or professional development on topic(s) that Green Beetz is an expert in we would love to hear from you so we can see about providing that PD in the future.