Resources and Links
Cooking & Nutrition
USDA
www.choosemyplate.gov/WhatIsMyPlate
Child and Adult Care Food Program
Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children
Healthy Eating Active Living
calfresh.dss.ca.gov/healthyliving/home
Nutrition Information
www.nutrition.gov/topics/nutrition-age/children/kids-kitchen
PBS
www.pbs.org/food/theme/cooking-with-kids
Cooking with Kids
Garden
Beneficial Insects and Plants
ipm.ucanr.edu/QT/beneficialpredatorscard.html
Compost and Vermicompost
Comprehensive details with a poster to hang up! www.nrdc.org
How to compost in small places. www.epa.gov
Vermicomposting and what to compost www.foodprint.org
Easy step by step information and answers to any questions. www.sosfuture.org
Garden Safety
www.canr.msu.edu/news/garden_safety_for_kids_part_1_getting_ready_for_the_garden
www.canr.msu.edu/news/garden_safety_for_kids_part_2_using_tools_and_preventing_injury
General Gardening
National Garden Association: garden.org/
University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources: ucanr.edu/
UC Master Gardeners: acmg.ucanr.edu/Growing_Your_Own_Food/
cesantabarbara.ucanr.edu/Master_Gardener/Master_Your_Garden_Month-By-Month/
Pest Identification
www2.ipm.ucanr.edu/agriculture/
School Gardens & Garden Education
Edible Schoolyard: edibleschoolyard.org/
Life Lab: www.lifelab.org/
Kids Gardening: kidsgardening.org/
National School Garden Network: www.farmtoschool.org/about
Toxic Plants & Mushrooms
ucanr.edu/sites/poisonous_safe_plants/Toxic_Plants_by_common_Name_659/
www.ohsu.edu/oregon-poison-center/plants-mushrooms
Weed Identification
Books
Cooking & Nutrition
The Complete Cookbook for Young Chefs by America’s Test Kitchen
The Best-Ever Step-by-Step Kid’s First Cookbook: Delicious Recipe Ideas ages 5-12
From Lunch Boxes And Picnics To Quick And Easy Meals, Sweet Treats, Desserts,
La Gloria vegana. Cocina saludable en familia / Healthy Cooking with Your Family by Gloria Carrion
Gardening
“All About Stems” by Claire Throp
“Backyard Fairies” by Phoebe Wahl
“Bear Has A Story To Tell” by Philip C. Stead
“Before We Eat: From Farm to Table” by Pat Brisson
“Brilliant Bees” By Linda Glaser
“Compost Stew: An A to Z Recipe for the Earth” by Mary McKenna Siddals
“The Curious Garden” by Peter Brown
“Don’t Throw That Away!” by Lara Bergen
“How a Seed Grows” by Helene Jordan
“How to Hide a Butterfly, and other insects” by Ruth Heller
“I Am a Bee” by Rebecca McDonald
“In a Garden” by Tim McCanna
“Farmer’s Market Day” by Shanda Trent
“Flower Talk, How Plants Use Color to Communicate” by Sara Levine
“From Seed to Plant” by Gail Gibbons
“Goodbye Summer, Hello Autumn” by Kenard Pak
“Little Kids First Big Books of Bugs” National Geographic Kids: by Catherine D. Hughes
“Mama built a little nest: with audio recording” by Jennifer Ward
“Many Biomes, One Earth” by Sneed B. Collard III
“More Insects Series, books 1-6, Kinder-Fun Series” by Jean Johnson Oxender, M.A
“Thank You, Earth” by April Pulley Sayre
“The Tiny Seed” by Eric Carle
“Tools For The Garden” by Mari Schuh
“The Bug Book” by Sue Fliess
“Up In the Garden and Down In the Dirt” by Kate Messner
“The Watermelon Seed” by Greg Pizzoli
“What Do Roots Do?” by Kathleen V
“What If There Were No Bees?” by Suzanne Slade
“Worms Eat My Garbage” by Joanne Olszewski
“10 Things I Can Do To Help My World” by Melanie Walsh
Learning Tools
Downloadable Lesson
Fact Sheets
English
Spanish
Youtube Videos
“Composting for Beginners,” “How to Start a Compost Bin,” and many more videos are available to instruct and inform on composting for your garden’s health and a healthier planet!
Paivi works with the NBCC program, senior leadership, and human resource teams on Professional and Workforce Development to support the professional growth of teachers and center leaders and to build sustainable early childhood education workforce models of excellence. She manages training compliance, child development permit obtainment, renewal and upgrading and educational stipends and professional benefits. She also manages NBCC’s Apprentice, Apprentice Mentor, and Internship programs in Marin and Sonoma Counties and collaborates with Community Colleges, Apprentice Program Employer Partners and other NBCC Community Partners. Paivi received her Master of Science degree in Curriculum/Early Childhood Education from California State University East Bay. She holds a Vocational Teacher certification from Finland and a Life Children’s Center Supervision Permit from the CA Commission on Teacher Credentialing. She has over 30 years of experience in nonprofit administration, early childhood program advancement, teaching, mentoring and leadership development in the United States and in Finland.
Jill St. Peter brings four decades of experience to the field of early childhood education. With a diverse background that includes roles as a Teacher, Site Supervisor, Early Learning Coach, Trainer, and her current position as Curriculum and Training Director, Jill has consistently demonstrated her unwavering commitment to early childhood education. Jill holds a Master of Arts degree in Education and Bachelor of Arts degree in Child Development. This commitment to academic excellence underscores her dedication to advancing the field and ensuring the well-being of young children and educators. Jill is certified by West Ed as a trainer for the Program for Infant and Toddler Care and Beginning Together Inclusion. She is also certified by the Center for Optimal Brain Integration as a Trauma Informed Care Trainer. Her expertise has been showcased at esteemed conferences such as NAEYC, CAEYC, and Head Start. Her involvement in professional communities underscores her dedication to continuous improvement and collaboration. Jill has been an active member of the California Coaching Advisory Group, Trauma Informed Care Community of Practice, Sonoma County Quality Counts Consortia, Region 1 Coaching Community of Practice Leader, Sonoma County Coaching Collaborative, Hope and Healing Early Learning Collaborative, and the Evening of Honor committee. Jill’s passion for early childhood education and her extensive experience makes her an asset to the field, continually inspiring and supporting educators their mission to provide the best possible start for young children.
Mariah has worked in the insurance industry since her adolescence. Less than a week after graduating college, she accepted a position at Arrow as an Associate. During the last 13 years, Mariah has worked in almost every position available at Arrow to learn the intricacies of the business and build her skill set. Mariah has helped companies from start-up to enterprise-levels review market options and elect benefit programs that allow those companies to recruit and retain top level employees. Outside of the office, Mariah is passionate about her work in the community. Mariah focuses on organizations that work to create limitless opportunities for children and the handicap able community. She is proud to serve as the Board Chair for NBCC. In her free time, Mariah is the mother of two beautiful little dudes, married to a Kaiser numbers nerd and enjoys going on horseback rides around the Bay Area.
