Taking Charge in Meadowland is a play written and produced by DPH in cooperation with USC's drama department. The production is available on video through ITV. 

Play Synopsis

This is the adventure of two mice, Hugo and Chloe, as told by the storyteller, Miguel. Growing up in Meadowland, Chloe and Hugo have many great times playing, laughing, and going to school together. One day, Chloe notices that Hugo doesn't want to play and has no energy. Chloe is worried about her best friend. She decides she must do everything she can to help Hugo see that he has to take charge of his health or else! And Chloe is going to need your help to save Hugo.

Watch Taking Charge in Meadowland

Meadowland Tool Kit

Our Taking Charge in Meadowland Tool Kit is designed to work in conjunction with the play. Prompts are given throughout the play that direct the viewer to the appropriate activity pack. In addition to the toolkit below, you'll also need a few additional materials: 40 Velcro stickers; measuring cups and spoons; a jump rope; sticker paper.

The Meadowland Tool Kit includes:

• Teacher's Instructions - General instructions on use of the tool kit.
• Interactive Play Activity List - A guide that offers instructions on each activity pack and estimates the time it takes to do the activities.
• Activity Pack I - To be used at the end of Scene I, it asks students to identify healthy and unhealthy lifestyles of characters in the play as well as healthy and unhealthy foods. Also contains bonus material involving the USDA's "My Pyramid for Kids."
  • Activity Pack I: K-1
  • Activity Pack I: 2-3
  • Activity 1 Pre and Post Test
• Activity Pack II - To be performed in the middle of Scene II, it focuses on fruit and vegetable identification. The pack includes worksheets and is designed to be used with the More Matters poster and 20 fruit and vegetable cards.
• Activity Pack II: Pre-K

► Pre-K Intro     
► Recipe Sheets     
► Nutrition Super Star     
► How to Cut A Mango     
► How to Cut A Pineapple     
► Fruit and Veggie Tasting Activities     
► Fruit and Veggie Pictures

• Activity Pack II: Grades K-1
• Activity Pack II: Grades 2-3
• Activity II Pre-Post Test
• More Matters Poster and 20 Fruit and Vegetable Cards - Velcro stickers can be used for this activity by applying one side of the Velcro to the More Matters poster and the other side of the Velcro on the back of each fruit and vegetable card. Students can then Velcro the selected fruits and vegetables cards to the corresponding colors on the poster.
• Fruit Poster
• Fruit and Vegetable Pieces
• Activity Pack III - To be performed at the end of Scene II, it focuses on moderation. The sheets included with Activity Pack III demonstrate a number of different examples that can be used to display appropriate serving sizes. You'll also need measuring spoons for this activity.
• Activity Pack III: Grades K-1
• Activity Pack III: Grades 2-3
• Activity 3 Pre-Post Test
• Activity Pack IV - To be completed during Scene IV, it focuses on physical activity. A 15-Day Physical Activity Calendar is included that can be used to track students' progress incorporating fun and new physical activity into their daily routine. A jump rope can be used as a visual to show kids a fun way to be active every day.
• Activity Pack IV: K-1
• Activity Pack IV: 2-3
• Activity 4 Pre-Post Test
• Taking Charge Rap - copy of the rap performed in the play
• Taking Charge of Our Health Pledge Poster -n be used at the end of the play to encourage children to increase their consumption of fruits and vegetables, practice moderation, and be physically active every day.
• Play Stickers - Can be used to decorate the materials or to hand out to students. The stickers can be printed on Crack-N-Peel Sticker Paper and cut.
• Taking Charge in Meadowland Video     
  
  Please Note: The Interactive DVD Activity List, Activity Packet I, Activity Packet II, Activity Packet III, and Activity Packet IV all contain a pre- and post-test. These are to be used as an evaluation tool; increased accuracy on post tests illustrates the effectiveness of the individual activity pack and Taking Charge in Meadowland as a whole.

This material was funded by USDA's Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program -- SNAP.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination against its customers, employees, and applicants for employment on the bases of race, color, national origin, age, disability, sex, gender identity, religion, reprisal and, where applicable, political beliefs, marital status, familial or parental status, sexual orientation, or if all or part of an individual's income is derived from any public assistance program, or protected genetic information in employment or in any program or activity conducted or funded by the Department. (Not all prohibited bases will apply to all programs and/or employment activities.)

If you wish to file a Civil Rights program complaint of discrimination, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, found online at http://www.ascr.usda.gov/complaint_filing_cust.html, or at any USDA office, or call (866) 632-9992 to request the form. You may also write a letter containing all of the information requested in the form. Send your completed complaint form or letter to us by mail at U.S. Department of Agriculture, Director, Office of Adjudication, 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20250-9410, by fax (202) 690-7442 or email at program.intake@usda.gov.