Farm to Fork
Lesson Four: Pumpkins in October
Materials:
· Pumpkin
· Newsletter
Prep:
· Pumpkin
· Create Newsletter for pumpkin
MMSD Curriculum Standards Connections:
Grade 5—Key Concept:Research Skills, References
Performance Standard: "Use reference and information research skills to gather and organize information."
Students will be using different materials and resources to research a fruit or vegetable. Then, they will compose a newsletter as a way of organizing and presenting their information.
El Ed Standards Connections:
· Standard 11: Uses Technologies
o Teachers appropriately incorporate new and proven technologies into instructional practice. They understand the major social, cultural, and economic issues surrounding their implementation.
§ Students will utilize Microsoft Word and possibly Adobe Photoshop to create a newsletter about their seasonal product.
Wisconsin DPI Social Studies Standards:
· Content Standard Social Studies Standard D—Economics: Production, Distribution, Exchange, Consumption
o Content Standard: Students in Wisconsin will learn about production, distribution, exchange, and consumption so that they can make informed economic decisions.
§ Students will be investigating one type of fruit or vegetable which is produced seasonally. This will give them a better understanding of when and where certain products are produced, and the cost it takes to distribute these products across the United States and globe at all times of the year.
Lesson Objectives
· The student will acquire knowledge about various seasonal vegetables and fruits.
· The student will create a newsletter highlighting their chosen fruit or vegetable.
Lesson Context
· The month is October. This lesson may or may not fall exactly within the unit; however, it should be taught in October because pumpkin is harvested in October in Wisconsin.
Lesson Opening
· Give students each one or two pieces of pumpkin to eat. Don't tell them what they are eating.
Procedural Steps
· Ask students, "Does anyone know the vegetable you are eating?"
· Allow students to respond. Some might know and some might not know.
· Tell them that they are eating pumpkin.
· Mini-activity: Tell students to get out a piece of paper and write all that you know about pumpkins. Do not put your name on the paper. Crumple up your paper. Students should stand up and move to 2 sides of the room (half the class on one side and half the class on the other side). Throw your crumpled paper across the room. Everyone should pick up a piece of paper (not their own). Each student will read aloud one or two things that is written on the paper they picked up.
· Come back as a whole group. Talk about the activity. Did anyone learn anything new? Was there anything we think is not true? Did you know you can eat an actual pumpkin? Teacher will write these ideas/thoughts on the board.
· Tell students that you made a newsletter about pumpkin to help you understand the vegetable a little better. Give each student the newsletter. Read the article together by going around the room and having each student read 2-3 sentences. This way everyone gets a chance to read and they must follow along.
o Explain to students that in groups of 2 or 3 they will be choosing a particular vegetable or fruit, conducting research, and creating a newsletter about the food. Then, they will present their newsletters to the class. Explain to student that their newsletters must include certain information. Pass our newsletter instructions so they know what things they must include.
· Students will be creating their newsletter using Microsoft Word.
· Give students a tutorial about creating a newsletter using WORD. Hand out guidelines/newsletter instructions as well as the packet about using Mircosoft word from C & I 322 Teaching Art.
· Give students one week of research and one week to create their newsletter.
· Resources to suggest to students (there are others available that they may come across):
o Animal Vegetable Miracle by Barbara Kingslover
o Farm Fresh Atlas
§ This is a resource to connect with local food and the people who bring it to us. Gives information about farms, products, and restaurants using local food. Students can contact these local farmers to learn more about products.
§ Also a website: www.freshfarmatlas.org
o Sustainable Times
§ A local newspaper "promoting sustainable communities, healthy lifestyles and local businesses."
§ Also a website: www.sustainabletimes.net
o Sustainable Table: http://www.sustainabletable.org/shop/eatseasonal/
§ Serving up healthy food choices. Easy access information about seasonal products in all 50 states.
o Natural Resources Defense Council: http://www.nrdc.org/health/foodmiles/default.asp
§ Great resource for food miles and eating local and seasonally.
Lesson Closure
· Students will present their newsletters to the class. Tell the class 3 things that you learned and included in your newsletter about your fruit/vegetable. Also, discuss the process of conducting research and creating this newsletter.
Assessment Strategies
· Use newsletter rubric to assess the students' newsletter.
· Assess the presentation of the newsletter—did all members of the group participate? Did the students share 3 things about their fruit/vegetable? Did the group share about the process of researching and creating the newsletter?
Differentiation
· Students can choose to work with 2 or 3 other students for support. If they choose to work alone that is fine too.
· Students can conduct research outside of class; however, students will have access to computers and other print resources in the classroom. There will also be enough time during class to conduct research so no work is required outside of class.
Cultural Relevance
· Some students are learning about foods that they eat everyday while other students are learning about new foods they may never have heard of before. This is very important for all students because food is something they consume everyday but may not know about certain foods they consume.
· Creating a newsletter is a skill that they can and likely will use in their future schooling careers—it's one way to portray information to others.
Troubleshooting
Creating a newsletter may be a challenge for some students. I plan to group students by "technological knowledge—" meaning I will strategically place the more "technology savvy" students in different groups so all groups will have a more technological person a part of their group.
