How-To Guide!

Watermelon

Promote Healthy Eating.Promote Healthy Eating.

SWEET JUICY & FUN!

Step 1 – Schedule Your Event� Talk up the Watermelon Day concept with your school administration and ask for permission to

host the day. Let them know the special ways they can get involved.

� Ask the food service staff to check with your school’s produce vendor to determine the best time of year to host a Watermelon Day. The vendor will know when watermelon is – most readily available, most flavorful and ripe, and at a price that fits your school’s budget.

� Schedule the event on your school calendar. Make sure your school’s web master includes a

Watermelon Day promotion on your school website and in your electronic newsletter.

� Share the exciting event news with teachers and staff. Show them custom-made lessons and activities covering every subject from science to art. Once teachers and staff are on board, they’ll start planning and sharing the details with students.

Step 2 – Promote Your DayGet your whole school excited about your upcoming event and ensure participation. The best way to get the word out about Watermelon Day is to include kids in your promotions. You have instant advertising for your school hallways, AND you’ve started a Watermelon Day buzz.

� Letter to Families Send a letter home with students, highlighting all the details of the upcoming Watermelon Day. Include date of event as well as date students need to turn in promotional pieces for any student contests you hold.

� School-Produced Ads Hand out public address and closed-circuit TV scripts to your technology instructors. Students can produce and air special promotions to keep watermelon and healthy eating top of mind before and during the event over the PA system or closed circuit TV.

Student Contests Set up contests for individuals, classrooms and grade levels. Make sure you give your students enough notice so they can start working on their handmade promotional materials well in advance. Post their final creations throughout the school.

Add some or all of these contest ideas to your advertising plan. Promotional posters and banners

Let kids pick the size and content or come up with your own poster and banner requirements. Including the date of the event is a must. Classroom door decorations Challenge classes to create classroom door promos, advertising the Watermelon Day date or benefits of watermelon. Colored art paper, available on rolls at craft and school supply stores, makes a great base to start with and protects the door.

Kid’s watermelon recipe Give kids a chance to create their very own watermelon dish at home and bring to school for the ultimate taste test. Your school administration can judge the dishes.

J. Slice story Ask students to create their own J. Slice and Pinky adventures. Teachers can pick the winning entries. (See Coloring Books for background on the National Watermelon Promotion Board’s healthy eating mascots.)

Poetry Put students’ creativity to the test with a poetry contest in praise of watermelon. Post poems throughout school and let administration judge the poems.

Nutrition poster Encourage kids to make watermelon posters touting the benefits (for example, vitamin content) of the sweet treat.

Team costumes Make a watermelon fashion statement when students team up in fun, watermelon attire. Wear read and green clothes. Spell a message out across T-shirts. Decorate caps. The possibilities are endless. Peers can choose the best designs.

Student Prizes Plan your prizes well in advance and make special mention of them in your Watermelon Day announcements. Ask your students and teachers for prize ideas.

Here are some inspiring ideas:

• Local business donations • Movie passes • Books • CDs and DVDs • Gift cards for online music • T-shirts • Miniature golf passes • Rock-climbing passes • Bowling passes

• Pencil, pens, and eraser packs• School privileges• Classroom watermelon party• Music during lunchtime• “Skip one homework assignment” pass• Extra recess time• Lunch with a teacher or principal• 30-minute game break (students bring their own games)

Reward a contest winning classwith a watermelon day classroom party. Serve Watermelon Cupcakes!

Banners and Decorations Consult with your art teacher(s) and invite classes to create:

eye-catching bulletin boards throughout the school

banner for the pickup/drop-off area of school

cafeteria and serving line decorations

Step 2 – Celebrate Watermelon

Incorporate healthy eating tips and watermelon facts into your students’ entire Watermelon Day. It really can be a school-wide event!

� Make the classroom connection. Offer teachers and students a chance to learn about the world of watermelon through unique curriculum and creative activities. Download and share the following material:

Lesson plans for elementary and middle school cover the how, when, and where of growing watermelons and include: • language arts • math • geography • science

Games & activities highlight fun facts about watermelon.

Coloring pages feature watermelon recipes plus our health- conscious and super active character – J. Slice.

Watermelon Sing-A-Long is perfect for younger students in music class.

Healthy Eating Tips and Facts can be shared in class.

USDA mypyramid.gov is a great place for students to create their own pyramid during their technology or media class time.

� Ask for principal participation. Your principal or vice principle can dress up as the National Watermelon Board’s healthy living advocate and mascot – J. Slice. Sweet! Follow the J. Slice costume instructions.

Encourage your J. Slice character to: • greet students at the pickup/drop-off area as they arrive to school • make classroom visits throughout the day • quiz students on watermelon trivia and reward with prizes • judge contests and announce winners

© 2010 National Watermelon Promotion Boardwww.watermelon.org

� Serve up watermelon. Kids will look forward to finally enjoying a taste of the sweet treat after learning so much about it! Make sure to share the Breakfast a Go-Go recipe with your food service staff for tasty lunchtime fun. It’s a true crowd-pleaser!