Simply cut out each square and glue or tape onto your accordion book. Step by step assembly instructions are available in your Harvest Tools binder under

Section 2- In the Classroom Essentials for the Year

Cucumber Accordion Book:

(Tune of Bingo)

Cucumber is a green fruit that mostly is made of water

C-U-C-U-M-B-E-R C-U-C-U-M-B-E-R C-U-C-U-M-B-E-R

And cucumber is it’s name-o

C u

c

u m

b

e

r

CUCUMBERS

(Science / Math)

Book: Cucumber Soup by Vickie Leigh Krudwig

Nutrition Link: Key Concepts – 1. Cucumbers are a fruit and they grow on a vine.

2. Cucumbers are green.

3. Because the cucumber holds a lot of water, the inside temperature of a cucumber is cooler than the outside air.

4. Cucumbers contain Vitamin C that helps heal wounds, keeps gums healthy, and helps the body fight off illnesses.

Objective: Children will learn that cucumbers come in different sizes, shapes, and colors. If possible have one of each kind of cucumber available for the children to see, feel, and taste.

Supplies: Various cucumbers shapes (“see patterns”) copied onto green (several shades) & yellow construction paper, scissors, and chart paper.

Directions: 1. Let the children cut out their favorite shape of cucumber from the

patterns.

2. Children will then sort the different cucumber shapes by color and chart their findings

3. The children with then regroup the cucumbers and sort them by their favorite shape or size. The children will then chart their findings.

4. Have the children count to see which was their favorite color, shape, & size and which was their least favorite.

DRDP #2 Indicator Math: Measure 24 & 26(Shapes & Classification)

CUCUMBER PATTERNS (Science / Math)

Persian Cucumber (Dark Green Cucumber)

Dosakai Cucumber (Yellow Cucumber)

English Cucumber (Light Green Cucumber)

Pickling Cucumber (Green Cucumber)

Teacher’s Kit (Parent lessons are designed to mirror the

theme of the classroom lesson, including the recipe conducted)

Includes

Themed Classroom Activity

Classroom Recipe Themed Parent Education

Parent Recipe

Students Classroom Activities Theme: Smart Snacks / Label Reading

April 2010 Harvest of the Month: Cucumbers Nutrition Link: Key Concepts –

1. Cucumbers are a fruit and they grow on a vine.

2. Cucumbers are green.

3. Because the cucumber holds a lot of water, the inside temperature of a cucumber is cooler than the outside air.

4. Cucumbers contain Vitamin C that helps heal wounds, keeps gums healthy, and helps the body fight off illnesses.

Open Court: Unit 7 At the Farm [DRDP-R 33] Old Mc Donald Had a Farm T13 Reading Books:

• Cycle III Big Book • Eat Your Pea, Louis by Pegeen Snow • Up, Down, Around and Around by Ayres Katherine • Cool As A Cucumber by Sally Smallwood • Just Try It by Christianne C. Jonas • From the Garden-A Counting Book About Growing Food by Michael Dahl

Activity 1: Shapes [DRDP-R 20, 24, 30, 32] Students will feel and compare cucumbers of various shapes and will discuss the similarities that cucumbers have with other fruits and vegetables (e.g. strawberry, lemon, banana, eggplant, zucchini, onion etc.). Activity 2: Senses: Students will use their sense of taste and smell when handling the various cucumbers. Students will determine whether the vegetable is sweet or sour. [DRDP-R 20, 30, 32]

Lesson: Smart Snacking Question: Name a Smart Snack? Answer: Bananas, carrots, raisins and celery etc. are some smart snacks. Smart Snacks are fruits and vegetables that are loaded with important nutrients. Music and Movement:

• Sparks CD #12 Kid Star (2:02) Streamers • Sparks CD #14 Elephants Rainbow (1:44) Streamers • Sparks CD #15 Kuma San (1:29) Streamers [DRDP-R 34, 36]

Recipe for Teacher

Citrus Cucumber Salad

Ingredients:

- 10 cucumbers - 10 oranges - 5 limes - 2 ½ teaspoons chili powder - 2 teaspoons salt Directions:

1. Wash the cucumbers, oranges, and limes under cold running water.

2. Slice the cucumbers. Peel and cut the oranges into small pieces. 3. Place cucumbers and oranges in a medium size bowl. Add chili

powder, lime and salt. Serves 44 food tasting portions

Parent Nutrition Education

April: Food Label Reading

Choosing Smart Foods

Objective: Learn how to read a food label to make healthy food choices. MATERIALS: Make sure each participant has a food label during the discussion. It would be great if you could collect empty food containers and give one to each participant. ASK: How many people read the food label when purchasing food? What parts of the label are you concerned with the most? How do know if a food product has too much fat or too much cholesterol? POINT OUT:

The food label is based on 2000 calories, which an average person needs every day. The food label serves as a guide to help us maintain a balanced and healthy diet.

When reading the food label, it is simpler to follow the % daily values rather than the grams and milligrams.

The % DV is based on getting the nutrients your body needs for the day. The % DV shows the amount of a nutrient in 1 serving (the amount the package says is 1

serving) of a food compared to the recommended amount of the nutrient for 2000 calories. o Give an example or two using your food labels.

HERE IS A TOOL: remember these 2 numbers- 5% & 20% As a guide, 5% or less is considered LOW and 20% or more is considered HIGH. Sometimes

we want a low number (fat, cholesterol, sodium), sometimes a high number (fiber, vitamin A, vitamin C, calcium, iron).

Using the READ IT before you EAT IT poster (source: USDA Team Nutrition at http://www.fns.usda.gov/tn/educators.html ) POINT OUT:

Remember 5% or less of these nutrients is LOW, and 20% or more is HIGH. On the poster, the blue section of nutrients (fats, cholesterol, and sodium) shows GET LESS of

these nutrients. Eating too much of these nutrients is linked to overweight and certain diseases, including

type 2 diabetes and heart disease. Too much fat and cholesterol can build up in our blood vessels and cause serious health

problems. Sodium has been linked to high blood pressure, which can lead to heart disease.

On the poster, the purple section nutrients (fiber, vitamins, and minerals) shows GET ENOUGH of these nutrients.

o Eating enough of these nutrients can improve your health and reduce the chance of getting some diseases.

o Fiber helps with regular bowel movements, sticks to cholesterol in the blood and helps get rid of it (lowering the chance of heart disease), can help to keep weight under control by keeping you full without extra calories, and can help decrease the chance of certain cancers.

o Vitamin A is important for healthy skin and vision. o Vitamin C is important for a healthy immune system (our defense system that protects us

from getting sick). o Calcium is important for our bones and teeth. o Iron is important because it carries the oxygen in our blood.

http://www.fns.usda.gov/tn/educators.html�

Parent Nutrition Education

POINT OUT: The serving size on the food label is very important because it can help guide how much to eat. If the Saturated Fat on the food label is 15% for 1 cup of the food product, is that high or low? (It is in between). What if I eat 2 cups? (It is then 30% and that is high). Using the food label to compare foods and make the best choice for you and your family! Handout: How to read Nutrition Facts on a food label ACITIVITY: Have the participants get into groups and compare the following:

GROUP #1: o 2 – 3 food labels of common cereals. o Note one or two nutrients that are worthy of comparison: fiber and iron. o Compare the serving sizes and discuss how much is typically consumed.

GROUP #2: o Food labels of full fat milk, 2% fat milk, 1% fat milk, and skim milk. o Note one or two nutrients that are worthy of comparison: saturated fat and calcium. o Compare the serving sizes and discuss how much is typically consumed.

GROUP #3: o Food labels of 100% Orange juice, Orange soda, and fruit punch. o Note one or two nutrients that are worthy of comparison: vitamin C and sugar. o Compare the serving sizes and discuss how much is typically consumed.

ASK: So how can we use the food label to make good food choices? POINT OUT:

Pay attention to the amount of food you choose to eat and notice that nutrients and calories change with the number of servings we consume.

Compare the nutrients in two similar kinds of foods. Choose foods to GET LESS of some nutrients (fat, cholesterol, sodium) and GET ENOUGH of

others (fiber, vitamin A, vitamin C, calcium, iron). NOTE: Keep it simple by focusing on the %DV and the serving size of foods. The %DV does not exist for sugars, Trans fats, or protein. Sugar levels depend on a number of things so there is no %DV. Trans fats also do not have a % because no amount has been determined. Protein need is different for every person so there is no set %. Physical Activity Family Fun Idea: Egg Relay Set up an easy and fun relay with your child. Directions:

1. Set up a basket about 6 feet away from your starting line/point. 2. Have your child carry a plastic egg in their hand, on a spoon, or using other body parts creatively. 3. The child races to the basket, drops their egg, and comes back to the starting line to pick up another

egg and repeat. 4. Count how many eggs are in the basket after a certain amount of time (for example, 3 minutes). Or

have children compete against you. Or simply have your child balance the egg on a large spoon or cooking spoon and see how far they can walk, run, even race! Giveaway: Pot Holders

Recipe for Parents

Citrus Cucumber Salad

Ingredients:

- 2 cucumbers - 2 oranges - 1 lemon or lime (the juice) - ½ tsp chili powder - ½ tsp salt Directions:

1. Wash the cucumbers under cold running water. 2. Slice the cucumbers. Peel and cut the oranges into small pieces. 3. Place cucumber and oranges in a medium size bowl. Add chili

powder, lemon or lime juice and salt. Serves 4

Recipe for Parents

Ensalada Agria de Pepino Ingredientes:

2 pepinos 2 narañjas 1 limon o lima (el jugo) ½ cucharada de chile en polvo ½ cucharada de sal

Direcciónes:

1. Enjuage los pepinos con agua fría. 2. Corta los pepinos. Pele y corte las naranjas en pedasitos

pequeños. 3. Ponga los pepinos y las naranjas en un tazón mediano.

Agregue el chile en polvo el jugo de limon o lima y sal. Sirve 4

Recipe for Parents

Dưa Leo Trộn Trái Cây

Nguyên liệu: -2 quả dưa leo -2 trái cam -1 trái chanh (vắt lấy nước) -1/2 muỗng nhỏ bột ớt -1/2 muỗng nhỏ muối Cách làm:

1. Rửa dưa leo bằng nước lạnh cho sạch. 2. Cắt lát hai trái dưa leo. Gọt và cắt hai trái cam ra

thành những miếng vừa ăn. 3. Để dưa leo và cam vào tô, rắc lên nửa muỗng bột ớt,

nước trái chanh và một ít muối. Làm được 4 phần

1. Cover apr-augapril recipe3. accordion cucumber4. (Science Math) April 6. Teacher kit 7. Nutrition classroom activities April 20108. Classroom Recipe (Citrus Cucumber Salad)9. Parent Nutrition Education April1011.April spa12.Citrus Cucumber Salad-Viet