Autumn Veggies and Fruits

Grade Levels: 3 - 5

Objectives

• Students learn what fruits, vegetables, and meats are available during the autumn months.
• Students research a specific food family and deliver an oral presentation about their findings.

Procedures

1. Divide the class into six groups: two groups for researching autumn vegetables, two for researching autumn fruits, and two for researching autumn meats (including nuts).
2. Students should look for what types of fruits, vegetables, and meats are available during the autumn months, how to best preserve or dry them, and some interesting recipes on how to prepare them.
3. Each group writes a research paper, has a display of the fruits, vegetables, or meats, or pictures of their findings, and gives an oral report.

Extension Activities

A Fall Food Festival
The teacher can form new groups with two students from each of the original groups. The groups then decide what foods from each of the categories they would like the students to sample. The samples can be dried, cooked, or fresh. (Make sure each group is bringing something different.) The students then share why they chose these foods, and how they prepared them.

Fall Food Festival Cookbook
The class can create a Fall Food Festival Cookbook with the recipes they have compiled and created with their groups. These cookbooks make great gifts for parents.

Guess Who?
Each student group could select the most unusual fruit, vegetable, or meat from their research and perform a "Guess what I am?"-style presentation with questions and participation from the class.

The Best of the Best
Students can deliver presentations in the form of a contest where each group presents information as to why theirs is "the most intriguing fruit, vegetable, or nut." The class votes on a winner.