Michigan 4-H Children's Garden Teams with KidsCom.com to Fight Childhood Obesity
KidsCom.com’s Virtual Universe is pleased to announce an alliance with Michigan Nutrition Network, Michigan State University Extension (MSUE) and the 4-H Children’s Gardens at Michigan State University (MSU) to support First Lady Michelle Obama and her initiative to fight childhood obesity.
Milwaukee, WI, February 11, 2010 --(PR.com)-- KidsCom.com’s Virtual Universe, where kids explore a broad range of learning fun by visiting virtual museums coupled with going to real museums, is pleased to announce an alliance with Michigan Nutrition Network, Michigan State University Extension (MSUE) and the 4-H Children’s Gardens at Michigan State University (MSU) to support First Lady Michelle Obama and her initiative to fight childhood obesity. With a staggering 35 percent of U.S. children overweight or obese, and research showing that obese children experience higher rates of diet-related chronic diseases, it is time to empower kids to learn and get involved in making healthier eating choices at home and at school. Understanding the relationship between growing food in school and community gardens and making nutritional food choices the alliance will use the virtual world and social media to educate kids as they play. The expertise gained in their virtual garden experience will also support their ability to be successful real gardeners and farmers growing vegetables and fruits in their own neighborhoods.
“We are excited to build on the experiences and learning that happens in the real garden with engaging virtual gardening experiences in order to connect kids with their foods” says “Dr. Norm” Lownds, Curator of the 4-H Children's Gardens. “This unique combination of virtual experiences, real gardens and garden experts can become a model for changing eating habits and growing healthy kids.”
“We are very excited to leverage the play behaviors our tweens (kids ages 8 to 12) already have exhibited in decorating their virtual houses to be eco-friendly,” remarks Jori Clarke, CEO of Circle 1 Network that publishes www.kidscom.com. “It just made sense to extend that ‘green’ house play into developing a garden and empowering them to go outside and find success growing food as a way to help their families.”
KidsCom.com’s virtual garden experience will combine virtual world play and YouTube social media –both popular channels of online communication for young people - in a garden simulation that will tie in with school and community garden programs to teach about growing plants, plant issues, nutrition and food preparation. Using kid approved recipes from the USDA recipe database and other public sources, kids will be able to take their virtual produce and practice making healthy virtual meals to prepare them for helping out with food preparation in their real kitchens.
Michigan State University Extension (MSUE) associate program leader Becky Henne is heading up a team of Extension educators who are supplying the content for the virtual gardening experience. MSUE dietitians are providing the nutrition oversight while Lownds provides the gardening expertise. The virtual garden is part of a larger program MSUE is preparing that will help schools incorporate nutrition and gardening information into their lesson plans. The “MyGarden” curriculum includes ready-to-use lessons that meet Michigan education standards and USDA dietary guidelines.
“The virtual gardening experience at KidsCom.com will be a great tool to use hand-in-hand with MyGarden lessons,” says Henne. “I can’t imagine a better way to make the ideas embodied in the lessons come to life for kids.”
About KidsCom.com
KidsCom.com's Idea Seeker Universe is populated with virtual worlds where simulation experiences, video and mini-game learning helps build awareness and interest in real world social issues, solutions, activities, products and services. Known for its unique play with virtual world/real world connections where players in the online game experience are sent to real world experiences, it offers fun learning that is leading innovation in education and providing engaging opportunities designed to make life better for families.
For more information, please visit: www.kidscom.com.
About the 4-H Children's Gardens
Dedicated in 1993, the 4-H Children's Gardens was the first interactive outdoor landscape garden for children at a public garden in the United States. It was one of the first children’s gardens to directly incorporate learning objectives into the design, it has served as a model for the design of many other children’s gardens and has been described as “the most creative half-acre in America”. The gardens include over 80 themes, dance chimes, a greenhouse and green roof. It is a place where plants, children and imaginations grow.
For more information, please visit: http://4hgarden.msu.edu/kidstour.
About Michigan State University Extension
Michigan State University Extension (MSUE) helps people improve their lives through an educational process that applies knowledge to critical issues, needs and opportunities. This material was funded in part by USDA’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program by way of the Michigan Department of Human Services and the Michigan Nutrition Network at Michigan State University Extension
For more information, please visit www.msue.msu.edu.
###
Media Contacts
Jori Clarke
CEO
Circle 1 Network
414.271.5437 (office)
414.305.7742 (cell)
Jori.Clarke@circle1network.com
Dr. Norm Lownds
Associate Professor and Curator, 4-H Children's Gardens
Michigan State University
517-355-5191 ext. 1349
lownds@msu.edu
“We are excited to build on the experiences and learning that happens in the real garden with engaging virtual gardening experiences in order to connect kids with their foods” says “Dr. Norm” Lownds, Curator of the 4-H Children's Gardens. “This unique combination of virtual experiences, real gardens and garden experts can become a model for changing eating habits and growing healthy kids.”
“We are very excited to leverage the play behaviors our tweens (kids ages 8 to 12) already have exhibited in decorating their virtual houses to be eco-friendly,” remarks Jori Clarke, CEO of Circle 1 Network that publishes www.kidscom.com. “It just made sense to extend that ‘green’ house play into developing a garden and empowering them to go outside and find success growing food as a way to help their families.”
KidsCom.com’s virtual garden experience will combine virtual world play and YouTube social media –both popular channels of online communication for young people - in a garden simulation that will tie in with school and community garden programs to teach about growing plants, plant issues, nutrition and food preparation. Using kid approved recipes from the USDA recipe database and other public sources, kids will be able to take their virtual produce and practice making healthy virtual meals to prepare them for helping out with food preparation in their real kitchens.
Michigan State University Extension (MSUE) associate program leader Becky Henne is heading up a team of Extension educators who are supplying the content for the virtual gardening experience. MSUE dietitians are providing the nutrition oversight while Lownds provides the gardening expertise. The virtual garden is part of a larger program MSUE is preparing that will help schools incorporate nutrition and gardening information into their lesson plans. The “MyGarden” curriculum includes ready-to-use lessons that meet Michigan education standards and USDA dietary guidelines.
“The virtual gardening experience at KidsCom.com will be a great tool to use hand-in-hand with MyGarden lessons,” says Henne. “I can’t imagine a better way to make the ideas embodied in the lessons come to life for kids.”
About KidsCom.com
KidsCom.com's Idea Seeker Universe is populated with virtual worlds where simulation experiences, video and mini-game learning helps build awareness and interest in real world social issues, solutions, activities, products and services. Known for its unique play with virtual world/real world connections where players in the online game experience are sent to real world experiences, it offers fun learning that is leading innovation in education and providing engaging opportunities designed to make life better for families.
For more information, please visit: www.kidscom.com.
About the 4-H Children's Gardens
Dedicated in 1993, the 4-H Children's Gardens was the first interactive outdoor landscape garden for children at a public garden in the United States. It was one of the first children’s gardens to directly incorporate learning objectives into the design, it has served as a model for the design of many other children’s gardens and has been described as “the most creative half-acre in America”. The gardens include over 80 themes, dance chimes, a greenhouse and green roof. It is a place where plants, children and imaginations grow.
For more information, please visit: http://4hgarden.msu.edu/kidstour.
About Michigan State University Extension
Michigan State University Extension (MSUE) helps people improve their lives through an educational process that applies knowledge to critical issues, needs and opportunities. This material was funded in part by USDA’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program by way of the Michigan Department of Human Services and the Michigan Nutrition Network at Michigan State University Extension
For more information, please visit www.msue.msu.edu.
###
Media Contacts
Jori Clarke
CEO
Circle 1 Network
414.271.5437 (office)
414.305.7742 (cell)
Jori.Clarke@circle1network.com
Dr. Norm Lownds
Associate Professor and Curator, 4-H Children's Gardens
Michigan State University
517-355-5191 ext. 1349
lownds@msu.edu
Contact
Circle 1 Network
Jori Clarke
414-271-5437
www.kidscom.com
Jori Clarke
414-271-5437
www.kidscom.com
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