Food Around the World
Origins, History, and Cultural Uses of Food
In the Garden
- Sprout vegetables from around the world and discuss the origins, uses, and plant parts.
- Sweet Potatoes (whole)
- Pineapple (top)
- Avocado (seed)
- Make an inventory of your garden. Make a sign that tells about the history of chosen plants. It should include:
- Country of origin
- Path to United States
- Outline of country it came from
- One interesting fact about its history
- Our Global Garden--Place a world map in your garden. Place a point on the map that is connected with a string to a statement that explains the country of its origin.
- Grow a Three Sisters' Garden
www.kidsgardening.com
www.nativetech.org
- Other Ideas:
- Plant regional gardens (tropical, desert, etc.)
- Plant a salsa bed, grain bed, continental bed, fiber bed, pizza bed, native American bed, or medieval garden.
In the Classroom
- Commodity and Natural Resource Fact and Activity Sheets
California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom, 2005.
- Investigating Corn (PDF, 133 KB)
Maize
Life Lab Science Program, 2001.
Grade: K-6
- Making Sense of Your Dollar
What's Growing On?
California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom, 2004.
Grade: 4-6
- When I Was Little (PDF, 91 KB)
The Growing Classroom: Garden-Based Science
Jaffe, Roberta and Gary Appel. Addison Publishing Company, 1990.
Grade: K-3
- Who's Hungry (PDF, 84 KB)
Food for Thought: Lessons From the Land
Sonoma Agricultural Literacy Project, 1995.
Grade: K-6
- World Feast (PDF, 417 KB)
Food for Thought: Lessons From the Land
Sonoma Agricultural Literacy Project, 1995.
Grade: 4-6
- World Web (PDF, 83 KB)
Food for Thought: Lessons From the Land
Sonoma Agricultural Literacy Project, 1995.
Grade: K-6
Taking it Further
- Read Corn is Maize. Discuss the life cycle of corn in relation to the ways native peoples used it. Develop writing and art extensions.
Grade: K-3
- Have students draw a picture of their favorite holiday meal and describe the holiday and the meal to their classmates. Create a class book for all to read.
- Globe Game: Toss a blow-up globe to a student and have him/her name one of their cultural roots and a favorite food from that culture.
- Go to the grocery store and find three foods produced outside of the United States. Is this food originally from this country? What does this have to do with agricultural production in this country and in the world?
Resources
Children's Literature
- Aliki. Corn is Maize: Gifts of the Indians. Harper and Row, 1976.
- Braman, Arlette N. Kids Around the World Cook! The Best Food and Recipes from Many Lands.
- Caduto, Michael J. and Bruchac, Joseph. Native American Gardening Stories, Projects, and Recipes for Families. Fulcrum Publishing, 1996.
(Grade 4-adult)
- Fleischman, Paul. Westlandia.
- Jones, Lynda. Kids Around the World Celebrate! The Best Feasts and Festivals from Many Lands.
- Reed, Janet. Everyone Eats Bread. Yellow Umbrella Books, 2003.
Colorful photographs illustrate the many ways bread is made and eaten around the world.
- Rondon, Marcie R. and Cheryl Walsh Bellville. Farmers' Market: Families Working Together.
- Unger, Lana. Bugfood III: Insect Snacks from Around the World. University of Kentucky, Department of Entomology.
For Teachers
| Food Around the World
Did you know that many cultures have food taboos - foods that they are not allowed to eat? For example, Jewish and Hindus do not eat pork; Catholics do not eat meat on Fridays during lent.
More than 500 insect species from more than 250 genera and 70 families have been used as food for humans.
In South Africa, a caterpillar called the mopane worm (Gonimbrasia belina) can be found in food markets packaged for sale in 40 kilogram bags (that's 88 pounds!).
The mopane worm contains more crude protein (proportionally) than cooked dry beans.
Termites (Macrotermes natalensis and Odontotermes sp.) contain as much protein (proportionally) as chicken or pork.
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