{"id":990835,"date":"2024-08-20T14:59:15","date_gmt":"2024-08-20T18:59:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cals.ncsu.edu\/?p=990835"},"modified":"2024-08-20T14:59:17","modified_gmt":"2024-08-20T18:59:17","slug":"nc-state-extension-peas-program","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cals.ncsu.edu\/news\/nc-state-extension-peas-program\/","title":{"rendered":"Lively Learning: \u2018Their Eyes Just Bloomed Open\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n\n\n\n<p>Watching preschoolers pull up a radish, count the seeds in an apple, crunch a bite of carrot or explore a fragrant basil leaf with a magnifying glass, it\u2019s easy to sense their excitement. Head Start teacher Sarah Richardson loves these lively ways of teaching science using healthy foods.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cTheir eyes just bloomed open,\u201d says Richardson, one of the teachers taking part in the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.morepeasplease.org\/what-is-peas\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">PEAS program<\/a>. PEAS, short for Preschool Education in Applied Sciences, is an NC&#160;State Extension program that currently reaches six North Carolina counties. Rather than a traditional curriculum, PEAS provides professional development for early childhood educators. Teachers learn best practices for teaching science and developing children\u2019s language skills, all while giving preschoolers hands-on experiences with healthy foods.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Through a PEAS program partnership with <a href=\"https:\/\/ncstepstohealth.ces.ncsu.edu\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">NC&#160;State Extension\u2019s Steps to Health<\/a>, PEAS teachers have support to start their own school gardens where children can explore the science of healthy living outside the walls of the classroom.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Head Start teacher LaShawn Savage expects preschoolers\u2019 curiosity to grow because of their experiences in the PEAS garden, from planting seeds to watching vegetables grow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"NC&#160;State Extension Helps Teach Children with PEAS\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/QWyIQy9b3Zg?start=217&#038;feature=oembed&#038;enablejsapi=1&#038;origin=https:\/\/cals.ncsu.edu\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Watch preschoolers learning through PEAS activities. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWhen they get to kindergarten and above, they will have patience, and they will also want to be able to experience different things such as growing vegetables and tasting new foods,\u201d Savage says. \u201cMaybe they\u2019ll want to make a career such as being a farmer, an engineer or a scientist, to design something or explore something, and maybe they\u2019ll look back and say they got their start at the PEAS program.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>More than 100 teachers in 50 classrooms have taken part in PEAS since it began in 2019, reaching over 1,000 children enrolled in Head Start programs across North Carolina. PEAS is funded by the National Institutes of Health through a $1.32 million Science Education Partnership Award from the General Medical Sciences division.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cOur next step is to develop family-focused programming,\u201d says PEAS Director <a href=\"https:\/\/cals.ncsu.edu\/agricultural-and-human-sciences\/people\/virginia-c-stage\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Virginia C. Stage<\/a>, a registered dietitian, nutrition education and behavior specialist with NC&#160;State University\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/cals.ncsu.edu\/agricultural-and-human-sciences\/doctoral-degree\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Department of Agricultural and Human Sciences<\/a>. \u201cWe hope to support families with strategies they can use in the home, on the playground, or while visiting their local library to get kids excited about science in the context of healthy living as they grow beyond the preschool classroom.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cToday\u2019s healthy kids, tomorrow\u2019s leading scientists\u201d is the vision behind the PEAS program.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cAfter all, fruits and vegetables are part of the life sciences that any children can explore at the table and beyond,\u201d Stage says.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To access free PEAS resources, contact the team or learn more, visit <a href=\"http:\/\/www.morepeasplease.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">www.morepeasplease.org<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false,"raw":"<!-- wp:ncst\/dynamic-header {\"block\":\"ncst\/default-immersive-post-header\"} -->\n<!-- wp:ncst\/default-immersive-post-header {\"caption\":\"\\u003cbr\\u003eHarvesting vegetables from a school garden is a highlight of the PEAS program for preschoolers\",\"displayCategoryID\":1792} \/-->\n<!-- \/wp:ncst\/dynamic-header -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>Watching preschoolers pull up a radish, count the seeds in an apple, crunch a bite of carrot or explore a fragrant basil leaf with a magnifying glass, it\u2019s easy to sense their excitement. Head Start teacher Sarah Richardson loves these lively ways of teaching science using healthy foods.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>\u201cTheir eyes just bloomed open,\u201d says Richardson, one of the teachers taking part in the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.morepeasplease.org\/what-is-peas\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">PEAS program<\/a>. PEAS, short for Preschool Education in Applied Sciences, is an NC State Extension program that currently reaches six North Carolina counties. Rather than a traditional curriculum, PEAS provides professional development for early childhood educators. Teachers learn best practices for teaching science and developing children\u2019s language skills, all while giving preschoolers hands-on experiences with healthy foods.\u00a0<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>Through a PEAS program partnership with <a href=\"https:\/\/ncstepstohealth.ces.ncsu.edu\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">NC State Extension\u2019s Steps to Health<\/a>, PEAS teachers have support to start their own school gardens where children can explore the science of healthy living outside the walls of the classroom.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>Head Start teacher LaShawn Savage expects preschoolers\u2019 curiosity to grow because of their experiences in the PEAS garden, from planting seeds to watching vegetables grow.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:embed {\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=QWyIQy9b3Zg\\u0026amp;t=217s\",\"type\":\"video\",\"providerNameSlug\":\"youtube\",\"responsive\":true,\"className\":\"wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"} -->\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\nhttps:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=QWyIQy9b3Zg&amp;t=217s\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Watch preschoolers learning through PEAS activities. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<!-- \/wp:embed -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>\u201cWhen they get to kindergarten and above, they will have patience, and they will also want to be able to experience different things such as growing vegetables and tasting new foods,\u201d Savage says. \u201cMaybe they\u2019ll want to make a career such as being a farmer, an engineer or a scientist, to design something or explore something, and maybe they\u2019ll look back and say they got their start at the PEAS program.\u201d<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>More than 100 teachers in 50 classrooms have taken part in PEAS since it began in 2019, reaching over 1,000 children enrolled in Head Start programs across North Carolina. PEAS is funded by the National Institutes of Health through a $1.32 million Science Education Partnership Award from the General Medical Sciences division.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>\u201cOur next step is to develop family-focused programming,\u201d says PEAS Director <a href=\"https:\/\/cals.ncsu.edu\/agricultural-and-human-sciences\/people\/virginia-c-stage\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Virginia C. Stage<\/a>, a registered dietitian, nutrition education and behavior specialist with NC State University\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/cals.ncsu.edu\/agricultural-and-human-sciences\/doctoral-degree\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Department of Agricultural and Human Sciences<\/a>. \u201cWe hope to support families with strategies they can use in the home, on the playground, or while visiting their local library to get kids excited about science in the context of healthy living as they grow beyond the preschool classroom.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>\u201cToday\u2019s healthy kids, tomorrow\u2019s leading scientists\u201d is the vision behind the PEAS program.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>\u201cAfter all, fruits and vegetables are part of the life sciences that any children can explore at the table and beyond,\u201d Stage says.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>To access free PEAS resources, contact the team or learn more, visit <a href=\"http:\/\/www.morepeasplease.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">www.morepeasplease.org<\/a>.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->"},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Preschoolers learn to love science and enjoy healthy foods through hands-on PEAS activities from NC State Extension.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2532,"featured_media":990880,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"views\/single-immersive.blade.php","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"source":"","ncst_custom_author":"","ncst_show_custom_author":false,"ncst_dynamicHeaderBlockName":"ncst\/default-immersive-post-header","ncst_dynamicHeaderData":"{\"backgroundColor\":\"red_400\",\"caption\":\"<br>Harvesting vegetables from a school garden is a highlight of the PEAS program for preschoolers\",\"displayCategoryID\":1792,\"showAuthor\":true,\"showDate\":true,\"showFeaturedVideo\":false}","ncst_content_audit_freq":"","ncst_content_audit_date":"","footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[1792,1170,1171,1181],"tags":[1263,2904,2907,2909,1264,2913,2912,2905,2910,2908,2906,2911],"_ncst_magazine_issue":[],"coauthors":[1810],"class_list":["post-990835","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-cals-weekly","category-extension","category-faculty-and-staff","category-newswire","tag-department-of-agricultural-and-human-sciences","tag-early-childhood-education","tag-head-start","tag-healthy-foods","tag-nc-state-extension","tag-peas-program","tag-preschool-education-in-applied-sciences","tag-preschool-nutrition","tag-professional-development-for-teachers","tag-school-gardens","tag-stem-teaching","tag-virginia-c-stage"],"displayCategory":{"term_id":1792,"name":"CALS Weekly","slug":"cals-weekly","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":1792,"taxonomy":"category","description":"","parent":0,"count":826,"filter":"raw"},"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/cals.ncsu.edu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/990835"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/cals.ncsu.edu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/cals.ncsu.edu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cals.ncsu.edu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2532"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cals.ncsu.edu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=990835"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/cals.ncsu.edu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/990835\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":990886,"href":"https:\/\/cals.ncsu.edu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/990835\/revisions\/990886"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cals.ncsu.edu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/990880"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/cals.ncsu.edu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=990835"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cals.ncsu.edu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=990835"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cals.ncsu.edu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=990835"},{"taxonomy":"_ncst_magazine_issue","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cals.ncsu.edu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/_ncst_magazine_issue?post=990835"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cals.ncsu.edu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=990835"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}