Download This Lesson: Squash
Brief Description: Students will be able to explain the history of squash and locate where it is grown on a Maine map. They will be able to explain what part of the plant squash is, the growing season and its nutritional benefits. Students will be able to explain how foods with vitamin A keep us healthy and write a persuasive letter that includes squash. Students will also be able to participate in composting activities.
Goals
Students will…
- Increase their familiarity with squash.
- Eat squash when it is offered to them.
- Increase their awareness of the environmental benefits of composting.
- Increase their understanding of nutrition.
Objectives
Students will be able to…
- Explain what part of a plant squash is
- Explain the origin of the squash and find it on a world map
- Identify the growing season
- Identify where squash is grown in Maine
- Identify the six important vitamins and minerals found in squash
- Write a persuasive letter using the appropriate format
- Explain how foods with vitamin A help to keep us healthy
- Participate in composting activities.
Lesson Activities
- Review points about safety, sanitation, and cooperation
- Introduce squash
- Background information on squash
- Lessons from the Farm
- Cook winter squash casserole (Form groups of 4 to 6 students)
- Do compost activity while food is cooking (See compost lesson for mini-lesson)
- Eat
- Wrap-up
- Distribute copies of recipes and challenge sheets to students
- Clean-up
Other Squash Activities
Nutrition science lesson: Vitamin A- Where is it and why do I need it?
Global and regional mapping
Squash fact sheet
Writing ideas
Word scramble
Additional recipes
(Download Complete Answer Key)
Common Core Alignment
ELA Writing-Production and Distribution
ELA Writing-Types and Purposes
Cooking Maine Foods from the Ground Up
Alignment-at-a-Glance
| Learning Objective |
Health Education Standards |
Cross-Discipline |
| a. | ||
| b. | ||
| c. | ||
| d. | ||
| e. | ELA B5a | |
| f. | ELA B2a |