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3rd Grade  Lesson 40 minutes

Fruitful Reading: Uncovering Surprising Flavors

IRecanatini
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RF.3.4
Self Directed Learning
Academic Mindset
Critical Thinking & Problem Solving
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Purpose

Students will embark on a hands-on exploration of fruits, focusing on their growth, characteristics, and transformation into everyday products. Through a trip to a local park and collaboration with community partners, students will investigate the surprising origins of chocolate and other fruits. This experience will enhance reading comprehension by encouraging inquiry and critical thinking, while fostering self-directed learning and a sense of belonging through peer discussions and reflections.

Learning goals

Students will develop reading comprehension skills by exploring the surprising origins of fruits like cocoa, olives, and avocados. They will engage in self-directed learning through peer discussions and reflections on how these fruits transform into everyday products. By participating in a park trip and fruit festival, students will critically analyze the growth and uniqueness of different fruits, fostering an academic mindset and a sense of community. Through creating visual storyboards, they will demonstrate their understanding of the journey from fruit to product, enhancing their critical thinking and problem-solving abilities.
Standards
  • [Common Core] CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RF.3.4 - Read with sufficient accuracy and fluency to support comprehension.
Competencies
  • Self Directed Learning - Students use teacher and peer feedback and self-reflection to monitor and direct their own learning while building self knowledge both in and out of the classroom.
  • Academic Mindset - Students establish a sense of place, identity, and belonging to increase self-efficacy while engaging in critical reflection and action.
  • Critical Thinking & Problem Solving - Students consider a variety of innovative approaches to address and understand complex questions that are authentic and important to their communities.

Products

Students will create visual storyboards or comic strips that depict the transformation of a cocoa pod into a chocolate bar, illustrating each step of the process. They will also design and set up interactive booths for a fruit festival, showcasing their storyboards and sharing insights with community members. Additionally, students will collaboratively develop questions and reflections to guide discussions about the origins and characteristics of various fruits, enhancing their understanding of how these fruits contribute to healthier food choices.

Launch

Kick off the learning experience with a trip to a local park where students can observe and identify different types of fruit trees, guided by a community partner from the local parks department. Encourage students to ask questions about the growth process and unique characteristics of each fruit tree they encounter. This hands-on exploration sets the stage for deeper inquiry into how fruits transform into everyday products, like chocolate, and how understanding these processes can inform healthier food choices.

Exhibition

Organize an engaging fruit festival at a local park where students present their visual storyboards and comic strips. Set up interactive booths where students guide community members and local parks department representatives through the journey of fruits from tree to table. Encourage students to share their insights on how understanding fruit characteristics can lead to healthier food choices, fostering a sense of community and shared learning.