Explore and Play: Potato Investigation

Materials

• boiled potato (prepare ahead of time)
• raw potato
• plates
• Growing Vegetable Soup by Lois Ehlert

Key Science Concepts

• Many of the foods we eat come from plants.
• We eat certain leaves, roots, fruits, and seeds.

Directions

Tell children that a potato is another type of plant that we eat. Today they will investigate a potato and then have the chance to taste one.

1. Have children wash their hands.
2. Show children an unwashed potato and ask them to describe what it looks like.
3. Pass the potato around and allow children to touch it and ask them to describe how it feels. What do they notice?
4. Tell children that we eat potatoes that are cooked. Show children a plate of sliced, cooked potatoes. Give each child a slice to eat.

Reflect and Share

• Ask children whether they liked the taste of the cooked potato. What kind of potato dishes have they eaten (mashed, fried, boiled, French Fries, potato chips)? What’s their favorite?
• Ask children if they know how potatoes grow. If they need help, show them the two pages from Growing Vegetable Soup you focused on yesterday: vegetables you pick, and vegetables you dig up.
• Add potato to the “Plants We Eat” chart if it hasn’t already been added.