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Harvest of the Month (HOTM) is an initiative designed to celebrate the bounty and diversity of fruits and vegetables grown in California, and to encourage students and school communities to eat a variety of nutritious produce.
Harvest of the Month (HOTM) is an initiative designed to celebrate the bounty and diversity of fruits and vegetables grown in California, and to encourage students and school communities to eat a variety of nutritious produce.
Each month, we highlight a seasonally and locally sourced fruit or vegetable on our menus, through recipe videos, newsletters, and more!
Each month, we highlight a seasonally and locally sourced fruit or vegetable on our menus, through recipe videos, newsletters, and more!
Monthly HOTM Resources for 2026-27 School Year
Monthly HOTM Resources for 2026-27 School Year
Click on the links below for teaching resources about each HOTM Produce item such as newsletters, activity pages, videos, slide decks, and more!
January-April: HOTM TBD
*December: Garden Grown "Shoots"!
May: Garden Grown "Roots"!
How can I use HOTM in my classroom?
How can I use HOTM in my classroom?
Educators and other school staff are encouraged to:
Educators and other school staff are encouraged to:
Sign up for an EFG Site Lesson! Samantha and/or Annysa will come to your classroom and teach a HOTM lesson. We offer taste tests, bulletin board creation, and more.
Educate on "What is HOTM?" to promote the importance of seasonal, local food in OUSD.
Find and promote the Harvest of the Month on OUSD Eat Your Rainbow Station (formerly known as Produce Bar).
Make sure your school has an EFG Champion!
Use slide decks and activity sheets on the HOTM pages above.
Share newsletters and other promotional materials
Make a HOTM bulletin board (ideally in cafeteria). Review this HOTM bulletin board rubric!
Make recipes with students
Arrange for HOTM Taste Tests
Refer to this HOTM Taste Test Protocol
Need materials? Borrow a HOTM Taste Test Kit from The Center's Tool Lending Library. Request here!
Borrow a Spin Wheel or a Bike Blender and integrate HOTM
HOTM Bulletin Boards
HOTM Bulletin Boards
Bulletin boards are a great ~ and beautiful ~ way to educate your school community about harvest of the month!
Explore examples of HOTM bulletin boards created by EFG Champions and their students and colleagues.
Here is a mock-up of key elements for an OUSD HOTM bulletin board.
Use the HOTM Bulletin Board Rubric to explore best practices and areas of strength and room for improvement in your bulletin board.
"What is HOTM?" Lesson
"What is HOTM?" Lesson
Teach your students about what it means to harvest, eat seasonal/local/organic, and how they can be a part of HOTM at OUSD.
EdibleSchoolyardProject_Infographic_Organic_July26.pdfWhy eat Organic?
Why eat Organic?
Interesting infographic from the Edible Schoolyard Project
Teaching about specific Produce? Use educational content from previous year's HOTM program.
Tag all of your HOTM photos using the hashtag #OUSDHOTM for the chance to be featured on the OUSD HOTM account.
Click on the logos for more information
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