Beanstock
Take advantage of a new education series that celebrates Nebraska’s locally grown proteins
As a part of the Nebraska Department of Education’s Farm to School program, Beanstock celebrates beans and educates students about plant-based proteins and specialty crops with engaging, informative and inspiring lessons and activities for middle and high school students.
What is Beanstock?
Among all the things to love about beans — they’re delicious, affordable and packed with protein — they’re also really important to our state’s economy. Nebraska is one of the top producers of beans in the entire country.
Educators and out-of-school-time staff across the state will soon be able to access free, flexible online lessons and activities about local plant-based proteins, especially beans, and specialty crops with presentations, quizzes and activities that tap into their interesting history, flavors and impact. Beyond the classroom, students will have opportunities to enjoy beans at lunch through school-focused recipes and to compete in a state-wide recipe competition.
Access free plant-based protein lessons
Wayne State education students have written various plant-based protein lessons, facilitated by their instructor, Carol Erwin, for educators across the state to freely use for grades 6-12. Each lesson fulfills Nebraska Department of Education curriculum standards.
Download preview activities from the curriculum:
- Plant-based protein word search
- Classroom-friendly chickpea parfait recipe
- BeanGO activity
- TikTok challenge and rubric
Beanstock lessons
All lessons will be fully available online beginning January 2025.
From planting to plating: Nebraska’s bean agriculture story
Written by Avery Olnes and Skylar Long
Disguising beans with baking: Cooking with plant proteins
Written by Alyssa Penn
To learn more about implementing Beanstock, contact: Jessie Coffey at jessie.coffey@nebraska.gov
