85 Lesson 15 • Food from the Earth Recommended Book “Seed, Soil, Sun” by Cris Peterson Book Summary: All of our food comes from the earth. Many fruits and vegetables start as seeds that grow in the soil. Meat, eggs and cheese come from animals that are fed grain or seeds that grow in the earth. In this book, readers will make discoveries about where and how their food comes from the earth and the cycle in which this all occurs. Lesson Objectives Children will: 1. Learn how nearly all of our food begins with seeds, even protein, grain and dairy foods. 2. Discover how soil, sun, and rain help to make seeds and plants grow. 3. Discover the organisms living in soil and why they are important to making the soil healthy. 4. Learn how the Earth provides soil, sun, and water to plants. Plants use these resources to provide food and oxygen for people and animals. Lesson Format 1. Discuss foods we eat that start with seeds. (Examples include most fruits and vegetables, nuts and grains) 2. Discuss how foods which come from animals start with seeds, as these animals eat grains and seeds. (Examples include meat, cheese and milk) 3. Read the book aloud. Pause the story when appropriate to discuss the following key points or questions: a. Ask students to recall Earth’s recipe for food and discuss why each ingredient is important: i. Seeds – Most plants start from a seed, grow into a plant, and produce flowers that will make more seeds. ii. Soil – Is made up of sand, silt and clay, along with minerals, dead leaves, twigs, insects and living things like tiny bacteria, insects, and worms. These creatures use the energy stored in leaves, twigs and dead insects to recycle nutrients to feed the plants. iii. Sunlight, air and water – Plants absorb the sun’s energy through their leaves, water through their roots and carbon dioxide from the air to make food to feed the plant. When this happens, the plant releases oxygen, which we need to breathe. b. When we eat fruits and vegetables, we eat different parts of each plant. For example, when we eat lettuce, we are eating leaves; celery, a stem; tomatoes, fruit; carrots, the roots; broccoli, flower; and corn, the seeds. 4. Lead the class in making their own “Garden in a Glove” by following the instructions on the next page Activity Summary Students will review the Earth’s recipe for food that is discussed in the book and the importance of eating a variety of fruits and vegetables. Students will grow their own vegetables by starting seeds in a glove and transplanting 5 different plants to container gardens. See the reverse side of this page for materials, prep-work and instructions for the “Garden in a Glove” activity.
Transcript
85
Lesson 15 • Food from the Earth
Recommended Book “Seed, Soil, Sun” by Cris Peterson
Book Summary: All of our food comes from the earth. Many fruits and vegetables start as seeds that grow in the soil. Meat, eggs and cheese come from animals that are fed grain or seeds that grow in the earth. In this book, readers will make discoveries about where and how their food comes from the earth and the cycle in which this all occurs.
Lesson ObjectivesChildren will:
1. Learn how nearly all of our food begins with seeds, even protein, grain and dairy foods. 2. Discover how soil, sun, and rain help to make seeds and plants grow. 3. Discover the organisms living in soil and why they are important to making the soil healthy. 4. Learn how the Earth provides soil, sun, and water to plants.
Plants use these resources to provide food and oxygen for people and animals.
Lesson Format1. Discuss foods we eat that start with seeds. (Examples include most fruits and vegetables, nuts and
grains) 2. Discuss how foods which come from animals start with seeds, as these animals eat grains and seeds.
(Examples include meat, cheese and milk)3. Read the book aloud. Pause the story when appropriate to discuss the following key points or questions: a. Ask students to recall Earth’s recipe for food and discuss why each ingredient is important: i. Seeds – Most plants start from a seed, grow into a plant, and produce flowers that will make more seeds. ii. Soil – Is made up of sand, silt and clay, along with minerals, dead leaves, twigs, insects and living things like tiny bacteria, insects, and worms. These creatures use the energy stored in leaves, twigs and dead insects to recycle nutrients to feed the plants. iii. Sunlight, air and water – Plants absorb the sun’s energy through their leaves, water through their roots and carbon dioxide from the air to make food to feed the plant. When this happens, the plant releases oxygen, which we need to breathe. b. When we eat fruits and vegetables, we eat different parts of each plant. For example, when we eat lettuce, we are eating leaves; celery, a stem; tomatoes, fruit; carrots, the roots; broccoli, flower; and corn, the seeds. 4. Lead the class in making their own “Garden in a Glove” by following the instructions on the next page
Activity SummaryStudents will review the Earth’s recipe for food that is discussed in the book and the importance of eating a variety of fruits and vegetables. Students will grow their own vegetables by starting seeds in a glove and transplanting 5 different plants to container gardens. See the reverse side of this page for materials, prep-work and instructions for the “Garden in a Glove” activity.
Materials• Recommended book• Clear, disposable poly gloves for food service (one for each student)• 5 moistened cotton balls for each student• Seeds from the list below• Small address label stickers or small strips of paper• Masking Tape
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Lesson 15 • Food from the Earth
Prep-Work• Soak cotton balls in water prior to the activity• Print 20 labels for each type of seed
Garden in a GloveDirections 1. Choose 5 seeds from the categories below, one for each finger in the glove:
2. Distribute 1 glove and 5 moistened cotton balls to each student. Ask them to place a cotton ball in each finger of their glove.
3. Have students select their 5 seed labels and instruct them to place a label on each glove finger. 4. Give each student 2 seeds for each vegetable, distributing one type at a time. Make sure that the
labels and seeds match for each glove finger. 5. Using masking tape, the students can tape the glove on a sunny window. 6. Check the seeds daily and ask students to record their observations of how the seeds swell and roots
and shoots begin to grow. 7. When the new plants or seedlings are approximately 2 inches tall, cut the bottom of each finger in
the glove to remove the cotton ball and seedlings. 8. Transplant the seedlings to containers filled with potting soil or to a garden. This project can be kept in the classroom for observation or sent home for the students to share with their families.
Seeds Roots Fruit Leaves Flower StemCorn Carrots Tomato Lettuce Cauliflower CeleryPeas Radishes Pepper Spinach Broccoli Beans Beets Cucumber Kale
READ FOR HEALTHFood from the EarthToday we read “Seed, Soil, Sun” by Cris Peterson and learned about the process by which tiny seeds sprout into healthy plants with the help of good soil, sunshine and rain. These plants become our food and when new seeds form, they are used to grow more plants. We began an
experiment with seeds by starting a garden in a glove, so that we can watch first-hand as tiny plants emerge from the seeds.
Did You Know?
• Most of the plants we eat begin with seeds. Inside each seed is a tiny new plant and energy that will be used later to help that plant grow.
• When we eat plant seeds such as beans, corn or nuts, we are also benefiting from the energy that is stored in these seeds.
• Plants can also use energy from the sun to make food that is needed to grow.
• Plants use this food to grow and store extra energy in the leaves, stems, flowers, fruits, and roots.
• When we eat fruits and vegetables, we eat these plant parts that are full of healthy energy. Make sure you are eating lots of fruits and vegetables every day to keep you going.
Grow Your Own Beans Try growing a bean plant with your child using dried beans from the grocery store, such as lima beans. All you will need is a small container, such as a cottage cheese container, a rinsed soup can or margarine dish. • Fill the dish with soil and place the
bean in the soil and lightly water.
• Keep the soil moist and place in a sunny window.
• After 3-4 weeks, you can replant the bean in a larger container with drainage holes in the bottom and place it outside to grow.
• Many bean plants will produce a vine and will need to grow up a fence or trellis.
• Continue to provide your plant with plenty of water and harvest them when the plant is full of bean pods.
Take Action! Eat More Foods from the Earth! r Plant a small container garden with your child or explore the produce section at your local market for new foods to try.
r Let your child plant a small garden using a cardboard box lined with newspaper. Fill it with potting soil and plant lettuce or spinach seeds.
r Allow your child to choose a new fruit or vegetable to try at mealtime.
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This material was funded by USDA’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program - SNAP in cooperation with Maryland’s Department of Human Services and University of Maryland Extension. The University of Maryland Extension will not discriminate against any person because of race, age, sex, color, sexual orientation, physical or mental disability, religion, ancestry or national origin, marital status, genetic information, political affiliation, and gender identity or expression.
