LibGuides: Students Taking Action Today: Food Insecurity and Waste

Formative Texts

Build students' background knowledge with formative texts. Get started with the resources below and provide students with note-taking materials to guide their research.

Interactive story on hunger in America from Feeding America

Investigate 'Facts and Faces of Hunger in America' and identify the root causes of hunger mentioned throughout as well as ways food banks and relief organizations help

Article from Gale in Context: Elementary

Read 'Hungry for Help' to launch a discussion of the root causes of hunger and food insecurity in the U.S. and make predictions on how the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted the issue

Article from Newsela
Free with login or PDF version here

Share article on the connection between food waste and food insecurity and prompt students to share what they learned and what new questions it raises

Opportunity to Talk to an Expert

Reach out to partner@foodbanknyc.org to schedule a live presentation/Q&A with an expert from Food Bank for New York City and let them know that you are a DOE school working on a service project to alleviate hunger in NYC

Office of School and Food Nutrition Guidance

School food guidance on how to set up Share Tables and utilize Offer vs. Share in your school cafeteria

E-books

Harlem Grown by Tony Hillery; Jessie Hartland (Illustrator) "Hartland's joyful folk-art illustrations bop from the gray-toned jazzy vibrancy of a bustling city neighborhood to the colorful harvest of a lush urban farm." --The New York Times "An inspiring picture book for youngsters with meaningful ties to the environment, sustainability, and community engagement." --Booklist Discover the incredible true story of Harlem Grown, a lush garden in New York City that grew out of an abandoned lot and now feeds a neighborhood. Once In a big city called New York In a bustling neighborhood There was an empty lot. Nevaeh called it the haunted garden. Harlem Grown tells the inspiring true story of how one man made a big difference in a neighborhood. After seeing how restless they were and their lack of healthy food options, Tony Hillery invited students from an underfunded school to turn a vacant lot into a beautiful and functional farm. By getting their hands dirty, these kids turned an abandoned space into something beautiful and useful while learning about healthy, sustainable eating and collaboration. Five years later, the kids and their parents, with the support of the Harlem Grown staff, grow thousands of pounds of fruits and vegetables a year. All of it is given to the kids and their families. The incredible story is vividly brought to life with Jessie Hartland's "charmingly busy art" (Booklist) that readers will pore over in search of new details as they revisit this poignant and uplifting tale over and over again. Harlem Grown is an independent, not-for-profit organization. The author's share of the proceeds from the sale of this book go directly to Harlem Grown.
ISBN: 1534402314
Publication Date: 2020-08-18
What Grew in Larry's Garden by Laura Alary; Kass Reich (Illustrator) A girl and her neighbor grow a community from their garden.Grace thinks Larry's garden is one of the wonders of the world. In his tiny backyard next door to hers, Larry grows the most extraordinary vegetables. Grace loves helping him --- watering and weeding, planting and pruning, hoeing and harvesting. And whenever there's a problem --- like bugs burrowing into the carrots or slugs chewing the lettuce --- Grace and Larry solve it together. Grace soon learns that Larry has big plans for the vegetables in his special garden. And when that garden faces its biggest problem yet, Grace follows Larry's example to find the perfect solution.Inspired by a real person, author Laura Alary has written a heartwarming story about how amazing things can grow when you tend your garden with kindness. In this case, Larry, a teacher, is helping to grow community. He has his students grow tomato plants that they then give away to their neighbors with personal notes. It offers a powerful lesson on the influence of generosity, while encouraging young children to become community activists in their own neighborhoods. This uplifting story fosters an appreciation for neighborhood and community at a time when that sentiment seems to be eroding. The book also contains an environmental message about harvesting your own vegetables and, with Kass Reich's colorful illustrations, works beautifully for a life science exploration of growth and changes in plants. There are character education connections to caring, cooperation, empathy, kindness, perseverance and teamwork.
ISBN: 152530108X
Publication Date: 2020-04-07
Fry Bread by Kevin Noble Maillard; Juana Martinez-Neal (Illustrator) Winner of the 2020 Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Medal A 2020 American Indian Youth Literature Picture Book Honor Winner "A wonderful and sweet book . . . Lovely stuff." --The New York Times Book Review Told in lively and powerful verse by debut author Kevin Noble Maillard,Fry Breadis an evocative depiction of a modern Native American family, vibrantly illustrated by Pura Belpre Award winner and Caldecott Honoree Juana Martinez-Neal. Fry bread is food. It is warm and delicious, piled high on a plate. Fry bread is time. It brings families together for meals and new memories. Fry bread is nation. It is shared by many, from coast to coast and beyond. Fry bread is us. It is a celebration of old and new, traditional and modern, similarity and difference. A2020 Charlotte Huck Recommended Book APublishers WeeklyBest Picture Book of 2019 AKirkus ReviewsBest Picture Book of 2019 ASchool Library JournalBest Picture Book of 2019 ABooklist 2019 Editor's Choice AShelf AwarenessBest Children's Book of 2019 A Goodreads Choice Award 2019 Semifinalist A Chicago Public Library Best of the Best Book of 2019 A National Public Radio (NPR) Best Book of 2019 An NCTE Notable Poetry Book A 2020 NCSS Notable Social Studies Trade Book for Young People A 2020 ALA Notable Children's Book A 2020 ILA Notable Book for a Global Society 2020 Bank Street College of Education Best Children's Books of the Year List One of NPR's 100 Favorite Books for Young Readers
ISBN: 1626727465
Publication Date: 2019-10-22
Thank You, Omu! by Oge Mora In this remarkable author-illustrator debut that's perfect for fans of Last Stop on Market Street and Extra Yarn, a generous woman is rewarded by her community. Everyone in the neighborhood dreams of a taste of Omu's delicious stew! One by one, they follow their noses toward the scrumptious scent. And one by one, Omu offers a portion of her meal. Soon the pot is empty. Has she been so generous that she has nothing left for herself? Debut author-illustrator Oge Mora brings to life a heartwarming story of sharing and community in colorful cut-paper designs as luscious as Omu's stew, with an extra serving of love. An author's note explains that "Omu" (pronounced AH-moo) means "queen" in the Igbo language of her parents, but growing up, she used it to mean "Grandma." This book was inspired by the strong female role models in Oge Mora's life.
ISBN: 0316431249
Publication Date: 2018-10-02
Down to Earth by Nikki Tate Kids all over the world help collect seeds, weed gardens, milk goats and herd ducks. From a balcony garden with pots of lettuce to a farm with hundreds of cows, kids can pitch in to bring the best and freshest products to their families' tables--and to market. Loaded with accessible information about the many facets of farming, Down to Earthtakes a close look at everything from what an egg carton tells you to why genetic diversity matters--even to kids.
ISBN: 1459804236
Publication Date: 2013-05-01
The Omnivore's Dilemma (Young Readers Edition) by Michael Pollan The New York Times bestseller that's changing America's diet is now perfect for younger readers"What's for dinner?" seemed like a simple question-until journalist and supermarket detective Michael Pollan delved behind the scenes. From fast food and big organic to small farms and old-fashioned hunting and gathering, this young readers' adaptation of Pollan's famous food-chain exploration encourages kids to consider the personal and global health implications of their food choices. In a smart, compelling format with updated facts, plenty of photos, graphs, and visuals, as well as a new afterword and backmatter, The Omnivore's Dilemma serves up a bold message to the generation that needs it most- It's time to take charge of our national eating habits-and it starts with you.
ISBN: 1101993839
Publication Date: 2015-08-04

Virtual Field Trips

Each virtual field trip deck includes background information and vocabulary, a brief video (3-10 minutes), and a link to an additional resource. If students will be accessing the trip asynchronously, instruct them to select full screen for the best viewing experience. Then they can use the arrows to advance through the deck and press "play" to watch the video.

Food Justice

Katie's Krops

West Side Campaign Against Hunger

Additional Partner Resources

Bolster students' research with additional media resources and opportunities to connect with experts and organizations.

No Kid Hungry

Highlight some of the Facts about Child Hunger in America for students and explore their blog for additional resources.

Food Bank for New York City

Find nearby food pantries and soup kitchens to learn how to help in your community and check out Spread Love: A Kid + Teen's Guide to Supporting Food Bank's COVID-19 Response for ideas on how to help during the pandemic.

Hungry to Help: Family Action Plan

Build background knowledge on food insecurity and brainstorm ways to help using this guide, which includes a short reading and reflection questions, information on how food banks get food to those in need, and ideas for at-home service.

Vocabulary on Hunger and Food Insecurity

Learn terms related to hunger and food insecurity from this guide from Second Harvest Heartland.

Community Fridge Map

Explore this volunteer-made map of community fridges in NYC and find out who is running them and how you can support.