Pyramid Cafe®

Visit the Vegetable Group

Grade Level: 2nd Grade / Primary Elementary
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Visit the Vegetable Group
Students identify Vegetable Group foods and discover that these foods help them see in the dark. They name their favorite vegetables and use their eyes to find hidden vegetable pictures in the dark. Finally, they help Kale Eye-see shop at a The Vegetable Stand.

• Name at least three foods in the Vegetable Group
• State how Vegetable Group foods help keep them healthy
• State that vegetables are plants
• Name parts of the plant that we eat
• Classify vegetables according to personal criteria

• Visit the Vegetable Group PDF worksheet (1 per student)
• Optional: Vegetables representing leaf, stalk, seed, flower and root. See if the cafeteria manager can supply them. Include kale if you can.
• Vegetable Group Food Cards PDF worksheet (1 per student). Save class time by having students prepare as homework
• Markers or crayons; scissors
• Food Card Sort PDF worksheet (1 per student)
• 15 Pyramid Food Cards for the "Vegetable Hunt": Five Vegetable Cards and a mix of 10 other cards from the Milk, Meat, Fruit and Grain Groups. Arrange in five groups of three, with one vegetable and two non-vegetable cards.
• Post six sets Food Cards in different areas of the classroom
• Shopping at the Vegetable Stand PDF assessment (1 per student) Decide whether to use as homework, seat work or a test

• Begin with a quick review of the Milk and Meat Groups (Meet the Milk Group and Learn About the Meat Group). Ask students:
  • What food group builds strong bones?
  • What foods did you eat yesterday or today from the Milk Group?
  • What food group builds strong muscles?
  • What Meat Group foods did you eat yesterday or today?
• Continue by telling students the Pyramid Pals are taking a survey. Ask:
  • How many of you eat leaves?

Act surprised if no one raises their hands. Say, "I can't believe none of you eat leaves! I eat leaves all of the time." If anyone raises their hand, ask them to name the leaves they eat.

• Follow the same procedure for the rest of the questions.
  • How many of you eat stalks?
  • How many of you eat roots?
  • How many of you eat flowers?
  • How many of you eat seeds?
• Tell students you think you've seen them eating leaves, stalks, roots, flowers and seeds for lunch. Have them raise their hand if they eat vegetables. Tell them that vegetables are really leaves, stalks, roots, flowers or seeds.
• Distribute the Visit the Vegetable Group worksheet. Read the title, Kale's quote, "Vegetable Group Foods," and the names of the nine vegetables pictured. Review "Parts of the Plant."
• Optional: If you brought in vegetables, pass them around. Identify each vegetable as a leaf, root, stalk, flower or seed.
• Read "Seeing in the Dark" aloud. Lead students through the three questions. Finish by having students read "Kale's Good Health Tip" aloud.
• Distribute and review the foods on the Vegetable Group Food Cards worksheet. Have students color and cut the cards. Direct students to sort their Food Cards using the Food Sort worksheet (See Meet the Milk Group, Step 5).
• Have students count the cards in each box. Ask them to:
  • Place their hands on over their hearts if most of their cards were in the "I like this food a lot" section.
  • Signal thumbs up if most were in the "This food is OK" section.
  • Shake their heads "no" if most were in the "I don't like this food" section.
  • Shrug their shoulders if most were in the "I've never tasted this food" section.
• Explain to students they are going on a "Vegetable Hunt." Dim the lights. Ask students to use their eyes to see in the dark to find the Vegetable Group Food Cards in the room.
• As you move around the room chant:
  
  

  Someone turned the lights out, And I can barely see. My eyes need vegetables. Can you find some for me?

Assessment

• Distribute the Shopping at the Vegetable Stand worksheet and have students complete it.
• Review and have students make corrections.

• brown
• rough
• oblong
• has "eyes"

Have students generate several descriptions of the vegetables and read them aloud to the class.

Note: PDF documents require the Adobe Acrobat Reader. If you don't have Acrobat Reader, click here to download a free copy.

Note: This activity is from the Pyramid Cafe® student workbook. Pyramid Cafe® is available from your local dairy council. Click here for contact information.

Reviews

Following are reviews submitted by visitors. Find out how to submit your own rating and review.

Title: great !!
Submitted by: Anonymous

It was absoultly fantabulous I loved it so very much
it was superb !!!!!!!

Title: kale
Submitted by:

Title: Wonderful Ideas and Graphics
Submitted by: Waneda from Cork Elementary, Plant City Florida

I have searched many websites looking for just such a lesson. The printable graphics are well made and will hook the students into learning.
Thank you for taking the time and investing the effort into this helpful lesson plan.

Title: Fun approach!
Submitted by: Anita

Great ideas, I think I will try it.