Children examine the seeds in an apple and a bell pepper, then taste, describe, and chart the texture and sweetness of each.
It’s time for Snacks with Seeds! First, let’s wash our hands.
This is a red pepper. Where can we find the seeds?
Materials
- 1 apple, washed and uncut
- 1–2 apples, washed and cut into bite-size pieces for tasting
- 1 red pepper, washed and uncut
- 1–2 bell peppers, washed and cut into bite-size pieces for tasting
- Knife and cutting board (for teacher use)
- Plastic wrap
- 2 pieces of chart paper
- Marker
Preparation
- Prepare the fruits as listed in the Materials.
- Prepare two “Snacks with Seeds” tasting charts. Write at the top of the first chart: Is it soft or crunchy? Then draw two columns below, labeled soft and crunchy. Write at the top of the second chart: Is it sweet or not sweet? Then draw two columns below, labeled sweet and not sweet.
Directions: Lesson 3
Snack Time
- Have children wash their hands. Tell them that you are going to serve some “snacks with seeds.” First, hold up the uncut apple. Possible discussion ideas:
- What part of a plant is the apple?
- Let’s make some predictions about the apple. Do you think an apple has seeds? Where do you think they are? What color do you think apple seeds are? The seeds are another plant part!
- Cut open the apple. Were our predictions correct? What do you notice about the apple seeds? What do you think would happen if we planted these seeds? Discuss how apple seeds change and grow into apple trees.
- Repeat steps 1 and 2 with the pepper.
- Do we eat apple seeds? (No.) What about pepper seeds? (Usually not, but sometimes the seeds of spicy peppers are eaten.)
- Distribute the bite-size pieces of apple for children to sample.
- Read the chart question: Is it soft or crunchy? Have children answer the question. Draw an apple in the column reflecting the children’s decision. Repeat with the second chart: Is it sweet or not sweet?
- Distribute the bite-size pieces of pepper for children to sample and repeat the steps above.
- Post the “Snacks with Seeds” charts on the wall so you can revisit them as you taste and observe other fruits and vegetables in Snacks with Seeds, Part 2.
