LEARN NC

K–12 teaching and learning · from the UNC School of Education

Fun with fruits and vegetables

The activities will help the student identify, describe, and classify fruits and vegetables, and learn how each grows.

A lesson plan for grade K Mathematics and Science

By Suzie Overholt

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Learning outcomes

Students will:

  • identify the names of commonly known fruits and vegetables.
  • classify the foods by the categories fruits and vegetables.
  • state which fruits and vegetables grow on a tree, on a vine, or in the ground.
  • describe each fruit and vegetable by its physical attributes.

Teacher planning

Time required for lesson

45 minutes

Materials/resources

  • Picture cards of fruits and vegetables
  • Teacher-made fruit and vegetable game board (Super Duper Company has a pre-made fruit and vegetable gameboard in its “Say and Do Vocabulary Gameboards”)
  • Play plastic fruits and vegetables marked with red and green stickers
  • Coloring sheets of a variety of fruits and vegetables
  • Mural paper
  • Magazines/picture books
  • Scissors, glue, tape
  • Real fruits and vegetables
  • One red box labeled fruits and one green box labeled vegetables

Pre-activities

The students and teacher will brainstorm the names of fruits and vegetables. The teacher will write each name mentioned on the chalk/dry marker board.

Activities

The teacher will present a variety of actual or pictured fruits and vegetables. The teacher will ask the class the name of each food, discuss the physical attributes of each (color, shape, texture, taste, etc.) and discuss how each food grows (on a tree, on a vine, and in the ground).

Next, the class will be divided into centers.

Center 1: In a small group of four to five students, the students will use a teacher-made gameboard with pictured items of fruits and vegetables. With adult supervision the students will spin a spinner and move the appropriate places on the gameboard. When each child lands on a specific fruit or vegetable then the student must name the item, tell how it grows, and name at least one physical attribute. If they can correctly name the items above they remain on their square, if not they go back one space. Play continues until someone reaches the end of the game at the “City Market.”

Center 2: The teacher attaches a long piece of mural paper to a wall. A large tree, a vine, and a garden scene are already pictured (drawn by teacher) on the paper. Students will select one to two fruits and vegetables, color the fruit its natural color and then select where it should grow. The student will attach his or her food to the tree, vine or garden scene. After the entire class has been through this center then the class will discuss which foods are appropriately placed and which are not. Corrections will be made and mural displayed for future reference.

Center 3: Students will be divided into several pairs. Each group will be given a red box marked fruits and a green box marked vegetables. Each pair of students will be given pre-marked play plastic fruits and vegetables. The fruit will have a small red dot or sticker on it and the vegetables will have a small green dot or sticker. Students will place the foods into the correct boxes. After the children place all foods into the two boxes then they go back and look at the dots on each fruit and vegetable and self-correct if they made any errors.

Center 4: The teacher will have samples of many different fruits and vegetables. Each child will be encouraged to taste each and discuss with an adult (teacher, assistant, volunteer etc.) how each item tastes (sour, sweet), smells, looks like, its texture (soft, hard, crunchy), etc.

Assessment

Students can:

  • identify at least eighty percent of the fruits and vegetables discussed.
  • classify the fruits and vegetables into the appropriate category.
  • describe the foods presented with at least two physical attributes.

North Carolina Curriculum Alignment

Mathematics (2004)

Kindergarten

  • Goal 5: Algebra - The learner will model simple patterns and sort objects.

Science (2005)

Kindergarten

  • Goal 3: The learner will make observations and build an understanding of the properties of common objects.
    • Objective 3.03: Describe how objects look, feel, smell, taste, and sound using their own senses.
    • Objective 3.04: Observe that objects can be described and sorted by their properties.
    • Objective 3.05: Identify some common objects and organisms that are considered to be natural resources in our world.

Healthful Living Education (2006)

Kindergarten

  • Goal 4: The learner will apply knowledge and behavior self-management skills to areas of nutrition and physical activity for healthy growth, development, and maintenance.