potato : an erect South American plant widely cultivated for its thick , starchy , edible underground tubers staple food : a food that is eaten regularly and is a dominant part of the diet , supplying a major proportion of energy and nutrient needs seed potato : a potato tuber grown for its buds which are used to start new plants sustainable : meeting the economic , social , and environmental needs of the present without compromising the needs of the future sustainable agriculture : an approach to agriculture that focuses on producing food while improving the economic viability of farms , protecting natural resources , and enhancing quality of life for farmers and society as a whole tuber : a thickened underground portion of a stem or rhizome which bears buds
Lesson Plans to go with this Reader
The Agricultural Literacy Curriculum Matrix is an online , searchable , and standards-based database for K-12 teachers . The Matrix contextualizes national education standards in science , social studies , and nutritional education with relevant instructional resources linked to Common Core Standards . Below are a few lesson plans that could be used in conjunction with this Colorado Reader . Go to www . GrowingYourFuture . com and click on Curriculum Matrix ( on the Home Page or under the Educator ’ s Tab ), search each title within the Curriculum Matrix to find these lesson plans .
Powerful Potato ( 3-5 ): Students observe a potato grow with and without soil , chart potato geography on a world map , and hold a potato dress up contest . https :// agclassroom . org / matrix / lesson / 524 /
Where Does It Come From ? ( 3-5 ): Students explore the connection between geography , climate , and the type of agriculture in an area by reading background information and census data about the agricultural commodities beef , potatoes , apples , wheat , corn , and milk . https :// agclassroom . org / matrix / lesson / 385 /
The Life of a Potato ( Book ): This charming and informative picture book follows a boy and his family through the process of growing and harvesting potatoes . In The Life of a Potato , the young reader is taken stepby-step through a plant ’ s growth cycle . The beautiful drawings show readers where their food comes from . This book is a great companion to lessons on the life cycle of plants , farming , harvesting , and use of machines . https :// agclassroom . org / matrix / resource / 1091 /
Use the search word “ potatoes ” at www . AgClassroom . org / Matrix for additional free lessons and classroom activities ( or scan the QR code ).
Additional Resources
Potato K-12 Lesson Plans : The Colorado Potato Administrative Committee developed a series of lesson plans on potatoes for K-12 education . The lessons , created in 2018 , are separated into the four grade bands and can be downloaded as a PDF from the ColoradoPotato . org website or by using this direct link : https :// www . coloradopotato . org / wp-content / uploads / 2018 / 05 / Lesson-Plans-CPAC-Master-Final . pdf
Video Playlist : Videos on growing , harvesting , storing , and cooking potatoes have been added to a YouTube playlist on the Colorado Foundation for Agriculture channel : https :// bit . ly / 3weXVWO
Answers :
Page 1 - Intro 1 . A farm ; 2 . Vegetable ; 3 . Below ; 4 . Yes
Students will have various answers for the different ways to eat potatoes .
Page 3 - Potatoes Around the World 1 . South America 2 . Students should draw an arrow on the map . 3 . Students should draw an arrow on the map . 4 . Europe 5 : China , India , Russia , Ukraine , U . S . ( in that order ) 6 . Students should label Colorado on the map . Page 6-7 - Potato Types and Preparation Styles Russet Potatoes : Baked , Pan Fried , Mashed , Fried Red Potatoes : Baked , Salad , Soups & Stews , Grilled , Steamed White Potatoes : Pan Fried , Salad , Soups & Stews , Fried , Steamed Yellow Potatoes : Baked , Mashed , Salads , Soups & Stews , Grilled Blue / Purple Potatoes : Baked , Grilled , Salads , Microwaved Fingerling Potatoes : Baked , Pan Fried , Steamed , Microwaved Petite Potatoes : Baked , Pan Fried , Steamed , Microwaved
Student Activity Worksheet : Potato Math 1A . False ; 1B . False ; 1C . True ; 1D . True 2 . There are 4 layers of potatoes . 3 . 1 row of 30 potatoes , 2 rows of 15 , 3 rows of 10 , or 5 rows of 6 4 . 1x1x40 , 1x2x20 , 1x4x10 , 1x5x8 , 2x2x10 , 2x4x5 5 . $ 0.50 each ($ 20.00 / 40 = 0.5 ) 6 . $ 0.25 each ($ 20.00 / 80 = 0.25 ) 7 . $ 27.00 ( 0.27x100 = 27 ) 8 . 5 cartons need to be purchased 9 . Yes , they will have 400-324 = 76 potatoes left over 10 . They will pay $ 85 for 5 cartons ( 17x5 ).