The Leafy Greens Lesson Plans
Science/Health #1
OBJECTIVES: Students will understand nutritional
benefits of cruciferous vegetables.
1. Refer to class textbook for SEED study.
Cross section of seed will help students learn EMBRYO (tiny part of seed that
grows into new plant). Explain that the rest of the seed contains stored sugars
that it uses to grow and develop.
2.Discuss the basic needs of a plant (water,
air, loose soil, sunlight). When the seed has what it needs, it GERMINATES
(starts to grow and develop). Then PHOTOSYNTHESIS occurs (the way leaves of
green plants make most of the sugars a plant needs). Grow lettuce, cabbage or
broccoli plants from seeds in cups/cartons in classroom. Lettuce seed is 7-10
days to germination; planting depth - 1/4 inch; 82 days to harvest. Cabbage is
10-12 days to germination; 1/2 inch planting depth; 71 days to harvest.
Broccoli is 10-14 days to germination; planting depth is 1/2 inch; 90 days to
harvest. Withhold water from one and sunlight from another. Draw conclusions
from measurements and graphs of growth of all the plants during the leafy
greens study. (For extended classroom growing project, refer to The Apartment
Farmer by Duane Newcomb, Tarcher, Inc., Los Angeles.) After lesson, students
may take plants home to transplant.
3.Use food coloring and a heavy stalk leafy
green or celery to show transportation of water through a plant.
4.Help students find articles in newspapers
about weather conditions affecting the growth of crops (freeze, drought, etc.).
Explain the impact on the cost of these foods to the consumer. (Prices may rise
due to limited supplies damaged by nature.)
5.Arrange a tour of a local grocery store on
delivery day. Try to tour a refrigerated truck and discuss food spoilage during
transport. Have the produce manager explain the "sprinkler" system in
the produce cases. Go on a scavenger hunt to find foods with leafy greens in
them (slaw, sauerkraut, etc.).
6.Help students cut out pictures from magazines
of healthy foods and people doing some sort of exercise. Discuss the importance
of a nutritious diet and good exercise to stay healthy. Begin classroom
discussion of the phrase, "You are what you eat!".
7.Why do we need to eat foods? We need energy
from foods for work and play. The parts of food that help your body grow are
nutrients. LEAFY GREENS contain Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Calcium, Iron, Fiber.
These nutrients:
help build strong
teeth and bones
help body to fight
infection
helps growth and
health of hair and skin
are Fat Free, Cholesterol
Free, Low in calories, Low in Sodium
8.According to the Food Guide Pyramid, we need
3-5 servings vegetables per day (Children need 4). 1 serving = 1 cup of leafy
raw veg or 1/2 cup of chopped raw or cooked veg. Have students demonstrate
through standard measurements the amount of vegetable needed for a serving. The
darker the leaf, the more nutritious the green.
9.Where do kids get energy? Food! Have students
create a food link chain: farmer, processor, grocer, you!
10.Place a few peanuts or chips on one brown
paper bag. Place a few dry lettuce leaves or broccoli on another bag. Explain
that the oily spot on the bag is from the fat in the peanuts. There is no fat
in lettuce or broccoli to leave a soil. Chart results using class database on a
scale of 1 - 5 (1 no oil to 5 very oily).
11. Cruciferous Crusaders Scramble Activity Sheet (see
below)
CRUCIFEROUS
CRUSADERS SCRAMBLE
Leafy Greens contain
Vitamins A and C,
Calcium, Iron and Fiber.
NO FAT.
Unscramble the underlined words below
to discover what these nutrients do for you....
·
help
build gnsort ehett and enbos.
·
help
body to tifhg teionfcin.
·
help
growth and health of rahi and niks.