“Food is our common ground, a universal experience.” —James Beard

Dear Educators,
To offset soaring food prices and reduce your carbon footprint, perhaps you, like me, have changed some of your spending habits. You may be eating more in-season, local produce, scrutinizing nutrition labels, or tending a vegetable garden.

Food brings together old and new friends. It also can be of tremendous help or hurt between nations. One of many positive ways to feed the planet is through Fair Trade. YES! is delighted to share Focus on Fair Trade Curriculum, from TransFair USA, the only third-party certifier of Fair Trade Certified products in the United States.

As you plan your classes for the fall, I think you'll find the lesson plans, book recommendations, and video interviews in this newsletter and YES! Magazine the right ingredients for teaching about food and foreign policy.

Best,

Jing Fong
Education Outreach Manager, YES! Magazine

P.S. Forward this newsletter to teaching colleagues so they too can benefit from YES!

Finding Your Voice Through Food
Science teacher, Karen Cherubini, from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, tells the uplifting story of how she and her third grade students reduced their carbon footprint by making different food choices. And, more importantly, learned a life-long lesson on how asking questions can lead to change. Here is her story.

MORE OF YOUR STORIES of inspiring teaching and students taking action.
SEND US your own story to share with our growing network of YES! educators.

TransFair USA's Focus on Fair Trade Curriculum will thoughtfully teach your students the concept of global interdependence and citizenship. Familiar imported foods serve as the means for understanding: Chocolate Explorer (K-2), Banana Bonanza (3-6) and Coffee Connections (7-12).

Designed with age-appropriate standards, your students will learn about the challenges for farmers and economic inequities. By the end of their studies, they will understand why Fair Trade is an empowering approach to poverty alleviation.

Your students will be inspired by these photos and vignettes of citizens who are shaping diplomacy with their own hands, voices, and hearts.

The Page That Counts Ask your students what’s in the food they eat. Then ask them how much their lawn eats per year. 5 Ways to Make History Each election seems the most important one of our lifetime. This one is no different. Here are 5 ideas for making a difference in the way America votes. 7 Ways to Break Free This list of can-do ideas on spending cash wisely (or not spending it at all) gives practical tips and underscores the value of sharing, exchanging, and going local.

Here are some hands-on projects for your students to learn about life’s most basic means of survival: food and water. Through these opportunities, they will be a better friend to their local environment and planet earth.

Water Partners
Water Partners International’s Global Water Supply curriculum for elementary, middle and high school students will heighten their awareness of the world’s water crisis. From filtering water with simple materials to designing new hydro-technology, these stand-alone lesson plans to full units will help your students become water-wise.

National Farm to College Program
The National Farm to College Program is a partnership of mutual benefit. Local farmers get business, college students eat healthy food, and the environment absorbs less CO2. Check out the database of close to 200 active farm to college projects and create your college’s custom-made partnership with local farmers.

Food, glorious food! Break away from textbooks and have your students read from this selection of books that explore eating locally and the notion that what’s on our plates and in our pantries reveals something about who we are.

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Living on the Edge
Raj Patel, author of “Stuffed And Starved” speaks candidly about the surge in global food prices and world hunger.

Take Action
Learn more about Bill McKibben’s international initiative on climate change and how you can get involved now.

Be Not Afraid
From This Brave Nation, 18 year-old activist Ava Lowery and ACLU director Anthony Romero discuss online activism and the optimism of youth.



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From Candles to Panels

Think you’re on the cutting edge of going green? You will be challenged to do more when you watch this video of rural Bolivian women being trained to install solar panels.  

Photo by Justin Mog

Seed Bankers
Creating change, one seed at a time.