A Fruit Is A Suitcase

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OBJECTIVE

Students will understand fruits protect their seeds

Students will taste pomegranate

Students will understand fruits have seeds

ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS

What foods do I eat?

What is a seed?

MATERIALS

PROCEDURE

Before the lesson, put the pomegranates, knife, cutting board and book in the suitcase so students don’t know what is inside.

Introduction:

Start the lesson by having students notice your suitcase. Ask students about the job of a suitcase. What is it for? When do you use one? What do you put inside? Have you ever used a suitcase?
Discuss how if you were going on a trip and bringing your favorite toy, a suitcase would protect it and keep it from braking or getting lost. Tell students that A Fruit is a Suitcase for a seed and read the book: A Fruit is a Suitcase for a Seed by Jean.

Activity

After reading the book, ask students how a suitcase and a fruit are similar. You could make a list of ways on the board. Then tell students they are going to try a fruit today that is an excellent suitcase for its seeds.

Show students the pomegranate and ask if anyone knows what fruit it is. Cut it up and notice together where the seeds are and where the suitcase is. Pass around a piece of the suitcase and have students feel it. Describe what it feels like and notice how it almost feels like foam. 

Tell students they are going to  each get a piece of the pomegranate to separate the seeds and the suitcase.  Send students to tables and give each student a slice of pomegranate. Have them pick the seeds out, count the seeds and taste the seeds.

Wrap Up/Assessment: 

Ask students why do fruit want to protect their seeds like a suitcase? Have students compost their suitcases.

FOLLOW UP/EXTENSIONS

You could bring in other fruits to dissect as well!

MA CURRICULUM CONNECTIONS