Pass the Plants, Please

Plants surround us, although many students seem to overlook their importance. Besides providing oxygen, stabilizing soil, and providing habitat, plants are an important part of our diet. Investigate the ways plants are used to make various foods through Project Learning Tree’s activity “Pass the Plants, Please.” As an extension for younger students (or as a refresher for older students), incorporate portions of Iowa State University Extension Office “Growing in the Garden” curriculum. Check out more information at http://www.extension.iastate.edu/GrowingintheGarden/.

Book List
Grades PreK-2
Christensen, B. 1994. Edible Alphabet. Dial Books for Young Readers.
Sekido, I. 1992. Fruits, Roots and Fungi: Plants We Eat. Lerner Publishing Group.

Grades 3-5
Burns, D.L. 2001. Berries, Nuts and Seeds. Gareth Stevens Audio.
Fernald, M.L. 1996. Edible Wild Plants of Eastern North America. Dover Publications.
George, J.C. 1995. Acorn Pancakes, Dandelion Salad, and 38 Other Wild Recipes. HarperCollins Children's Books.
Hughes, M.S. 2000. Green Power: Leaf and Flower Vegetables. Lerner Publishing Group.
Kirk, D.R. 1970. Wild Edible Plants of Western North America. Naturegraph Publishers, Incorporated.
Selsam, M.E. 1981. Plants We Eat. HarperCollins Publishers.

Grades 6-8
George, J.C. 1982. Wild, Wild Cookbook: A Guide for Young Wild-Food Foragers. HarperCollins Children's Books.
Sweet, M. 2003. Common Edible and Useful Plants of the West. Naturegraph Publishers, Incorporated.
Young, D.D. 1983. Wild Plants You Can Eat. Silver Burdett Press.

Grades 9-12
Elias, T.S. 1990. Edible Wild Plants: A North American Field Guide. Sterling Publishing Company, Incorporated.
Forey, P. and C. Fitzsimons. 1989. An Instant Guide to Edible Plants. Random House Value Publishing, Incorporated.
Furlong, M. and V.B. Pill. 1974. Wild Edible Fruits and Berries. Naturegraph Publishers, Incorporated.
Kindscher, K. 1987. Edible Wild Plants of the Prairie: An Ethnobotanical Guide. University Press of Kansas.
Peterson, L.A. 1999. A Field Guide to Edible Wild Plants: Eastern and central North America. Houghton Mifflin.
Reader's Digest Association, Inc. 1997. Magic and Medicine of Plants. Reader's Digest Association, Incorporated.
Thayer, S. 2006. The Forager's Harvest: A Guide to Identifying, Harvesting, and Preparing Edible Wild Plants. Forager's Harvest Press.