Organic Fortnight

Summary information

Preparation:

Excellent background information for teachers is available at www.wwf.org.uk/chemicals and www.soilassociation.org
For other links see:

Pupils

www.suschool.org.uk/eating.html
www.organicgardening.org.uk

Teachers

www.teachernet.gov.uk/growingschools/
www.panda.org
www.sustainweb.org/grab5_index.asp

Resources needed:

• Access to image 1 photograph of strawberry fields being sprayed Credit: © WWF-Canon / Michel GUNTHER Image no.39194
• washed and peeled carrots in plastic bag, knobbly carrots partly covered in soil; one freshly dug, handful of unpackaged fresh green beans and can of green beans.
• flipchart and marker pen or interactive white board
• digital projector (optional)

Procedure:

• Display a large photo of strawberry fields being sprayed with pesticides either using a digital projector or by making printouts of the photo to give out to the children.
• Ask children what they think is happening in the photo using such questions as:
  Where is this?
  What is being grown?
  Why is the crop being sprayed?
• Ask for two volunteers. Give one child a bunch of clean, peeled carrots in a plastic bag, and the other a bunch of knobbly dirty carrots not in a bag. Tell each child to hold up their carrots and ask ‘Are my carrots the safest to eat?’
• Invite children who voted for the bagged carrots to explain their reasons. Do the same for those who voted for the bunch of carrots. Record their answers on a flip chart or white board. Ask them supplementary questions to increase their awareness that cleanliness and uniformity can mean that harmful sprays have been used.
• Ask for two more volunteers. Give one child a can of green beans and the other a packet of fresh green beans. Proceed as for the carrots, but follow up with the question, ‘How do you know this is the safest?’ This time the point to get over is that you have to read the list of ingredients and look for evidence of organic production.

Reflection

Brainstorm with children a list of things that they can do to eat food that is good for people and for the environment. Record these on a flip chart or white board. Suggest that this might be part of the school’s Healthy Eating Code.
To help you probe for good ideas see the following list:

• Wash and peel fruit and vegetables before eating.

• Try to eat fresh, frozen or dried food instead of canned food.

• When shopping with your family try to persuade them to buy some organic food.

• Grow some of your own vegetables without using chemicals in your garden at home or at school. The Growing Schools scheme provides help.

• Try to persuade your family not to use chemicals in the garden.

• Encourage your family to buy locally grown food.

• Encourage your family to buy food that is in season.

Ask the children to carry out as many actions on the list as they can. They can make a start during Organic Fortnight.

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