FAQ

The Food Education Center (FEC) is Pilot Light’s free online library of 200+ lesson plans for all educators. Our programs (SnackTime Explorers and Classroom to Cafeteria) are cohort-based professional development experiences with additional resources and support. You don’t need to be in a program to access FEC lessons.

All lessons are tagged by subject area, grade band, and the 7 Food Education Standards. Many lessons also include connections to Common Core and Next Generation Science Standards. Use filters to find lessons that match your current units.

Start with the “What is Food Education?” video in our About section, then browse lessons by your grade band or subject area. Most teachers begin with 1-2 short lessons (15-30 min) to see how students respond before integrating more deeply.

Lessons include differentiation suggestions and sensory considerations. We’re actively expanding resources for special education settings. Filter by activity type to find hands-on, sensory-based lessons that work well for diverse learners.

Most lessons use common classroom supplies and affordable ingredients. Each lesson lists required materials upfront. Look for the “minimal materials” tag if you have budget constraints.

Lesson duration varies from 15 minutes to full class periods. Each lesson plan includes estimated time. Use the activity type filter to find quick activities vs. comprehensive lessons.

Yes. Many lessons include suggestions for adapting up or down. Teachers regularly adapt PreK-2 lessons for special education or 3-5 lessons for middle school with modifications.

Lessons note common allergens and offer substitution suggestions. Many lessons focus on observation and learning without tasting. Filter by “no-taste” activities if needed.

Use the search bar with keywords from your unit (fractions, weather, measurement, etc.) or browse by subject area. Lessons are designed to integrate into existing curriculum, not replace it.

We currently have limited high school content. Most lessons are designed for PreK-8. We’re working to expand secondary resources based on educator feedback.

All lesson plans are downloadable PDFs. Once you save or download, you can use them offline. Some lessons link to videos that require internet access.

Home Connections are family-friendly activities that extend classroom learning to the home. They require minimal materials and are designed for families to do together. Many are available in multiple languages.

Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis. You’ll receive notification within 2-3 weeks of the cohort start date. Check your spam folder, as emails sometimes filter there.

You’ll receive an acceptance email with cohort details and an MOU (Memorandum of Understanding) to sign via DocuSign. Once signed, you’ll get LMS access and a timeline for professional development videos.

Yes. All Pilot Light programs are free for educators, including materials and professional development. Our programs are made possible through partnerships with organizations like DNO Produce and FRESHEALTH.

SnackTime Explorers requires ~10 hours of PD videos (self-paced), one live orientation, and weekly implementation during the semester. Classroom to Cafeteria has similar requirements. Specific timelines are provided upon acceptance.

Talk to your program coordinator about adaptations. Some teachers use frozen vegetables, grow classroom gardens, or modify the frequency of tastings. We work with you to make programs feasible.

Yes. We encourage team applications. Indicate this on your application form so we can coordinate cohort placement.

Contact your program coordinator immediately. Recordings may be available, but live attendance is strongly preferred for community building and Q&A.

Our Forums (coming soon) will allow teacher-to-teacher connections. For now, program participants connect during live orientations and through cohort communications.

Yes. Families can create free accounts and browse Home Connections activities. However, most families discover resources through teachers who send materials home.

We’re actively developing multilingual resources. Some Home Connections are available in Spanish. Check individual lesson pages for language availability.

Absolutely. While lessons are designed for classroom settings, many community partners adapt them successfully. Look for shorter activities and hands-on lessons that work in informal education settings.

Contact us directly to discuss district partnerships. We can provide implementation support, professional development, and resources for school-wide adoption.

We track teacher reach, student impact, and lesson engagement. Contact us for our most recent impact report and to discuss partnership data needs.

The FEC lesson library is free for all educators. District partnership conversations may include customized PD or program expansion. Contact us to discuss your needs.

FEC is an open educational resource. For formal district partnerships, contact us to discuss MOU arrangements and implementation support.