Plants provide a variety of delicious foods essential for human survival. In the fourth lesson plan of this series on food science, young scientists investigate common fruits, vegetables, and grains in order to determine which plant part is represented by each. A great activity that reinforces an understanding of plants and raises awareness about the way they help support human life. Conclude with a reading of The Mysterious Marching Vegetables to connect learning about plant life with children's literature.

Concepts

grains, parts of a plant, plants, consumers, producers

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Additional Tags

fruits and vegetables, producers, consumers, grains, plant parts, science

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Pros

• Observing actual fruits and vegetables supports learning about how different plant parts provide food for humans
• Offers ideas for further exploration of plants that supply people with food
• A copy of The Mysterious Marching Vegetables is available online for free

Cons

• Assumes background knowledge about plants parts, photosynthesis, and the relationship between producers and consumers