Grade 2 School Garden Lesson Plan - Vegetable Cousins ~ Massachusetts |=> In this activity, students will learn that the plants in the garden can be grouped in “families” and they will organize garden vegetables according to their similar traits in order to guess which ones are “cousins.” ` For more information, Please see websites below: ` Organic Edible Schoolyards & Gardening with Children http://scribd.com/doc/239851214 ` Double your School Garden Food Production with Organic Tech http://scribd.com/doc/239851079 ` Free School Gardening Art Posters http://scribd.com/doc/239851159` ` Companion Planting Increases School Garden Food Production by 250 Percent http://scribd.com/doc/239851159 ` Healthy Foods Dramatically Improves Student Academic Success http://scribd.com/doc/239851348 ` City Chickens for your Organic School Garden http://scribd.com/doc/239850440 ` Simple Square Foot Gardening for Schools - Teacher Guide http://scribd.com/doc/239851110

1. Vegetable Cousins
Grade Level: Grade 2
Description
In this activity, students will learn that the plants in the garden can be grouped in “families” and
they will organize garden vegetables according to their similar traits in order to guess which ones
are “cousins.”
Background Information
Plant classification into families: English botanist Charles Linnaeus developed a plant
classification system in the 1700s still used today, that classifies plants according to their family,
genus and species. For gardeners, the family designation is helpful in determining a plants
growth habits, potential insect pests, and maintenance requirements as plants in the same family
generally have similar traits. Knowing what family a vegetable is also helps when planning crop
rotation and companion planting. Vegetables offer a wonderful introduction to classification, and
although you may not wish to use the latin names with your students, they can understand the
“beet” or “potato” family, and all of the “cousins” that are a part of that family. Below is a list of
common vegetable families:
1. Beet family - Chenopodiaceae
• Beets
• Quinoa
• Spinach
• Swiss Chard
2. Cabbage family - Brassicaceae (Cruciferae)
• Broccoli
• Brussel Sprouts
• Cabbage
• Cauliflower
• Kale
• Mustard
• “Asian” Brassicas
• Radish
• Turnip
3. Carrot family - Apiaceae (Umbelliferae)
• Carrot
• Celeriac
Lesson and agricultural enhancement supported by a grant from the Massachusetts Society for the
Promotion of Agriculture.

2. • Celery
• Fennel
• Parsley
• Parsnip
4. Daisy family - Asteraceae (Compositae)
• Chicory/Endive
• Jerusalem Artichoke
• Lettuce
5. Cucumber family - Cucurbitaceae
• Cucumber
• Zucchini
• Summer Squash
• Melon
• Pumpkin
• Winter Squash
6. Onion family - Alliaceae
• Garlic
• Leek
• Onion
• Shallot
7. Pea and Bean family - Fabaceae sub-family Papilionaceae (Leguminosae)
• Alfalfa
• Green bean
• Clover
• Pea
8. Potato family - Solanaceae
• Eggplant
• Pepper
• Potato
• Tomato
Big Idea
Different kinds of plants are related to each other in plant families.
Learning Objectives
Lesson and agricultural enhancement supported by a grant from the Massachusetts Society for the
Promotion of Agriculture.

3. To understand that things in the natural world are classified by scientists, and grouped together.
To see how this can happen in the garden with our garden vegetables.
Materials
* One vegetable from each of the nine families, either in your garden, or bought from the
grocery store, for every 6 students.
* Bowls or baskets to harvest into
* Masking tape to section off tables.
Preparation
None, unless shopping for vegetables.
Introducing the Lesson
Activate prior knowledge: Have they ever sorted something? Like different kinds of marbles,
cards, toy animals etc? How did they figure out how to divide them up? What does it mean for
something to be similar or different?
Engage Student Interest: Play “a big wind blows” : in this game the teacher or a student stands
in the middle says “a big wind blows on....” and then states something common to many kids in
the room e.g “everyone wearing green,” -or- “everyone with sandals on” etc. The students who
have that thing, must leave their chair and walk to sit in another empty chair. Like musical chairs,
there is always one less chair than needed, and so the student who does not find a chair is the one
in the middle. After the game, discuss with your students how we can all be classified in many
different ways, and all relate to each other in some ways (e.g as members of Ms ...... s class.)
Explain that scientists are always trying to figure out ways to classify things also, by looking at
similar characteristics, and grouping things, like plants together.
Procedure (Total time approximately 1 hr 15 mins)
Outside: optional
1. (10 mins) Have students pick a large variety of vegetables from the garden. Depending on
your garden and the group, you could either have them do this in small groups or as a whole
class.
In the Classroom:
2. (10 mins) Sit students at tables. Section off the table with masking tape, into six to eight
areas. ( you could do this in advance or ask them to do it) Pass out a selection of vegetables to
each table.
Lesson and agricultural enhancement supported by a grant from the Massachusetts Society for the
Promotion of Agriculture.

4. 3. (10 mins) As a whole class, ask a selection of students to pick up a vegetable and describe it.
Guide them to describe its physical traits as well as its name. E.g. This is broccoli. It has a thick
stem, tough leaves, dark green color.
4. (15 mins) Now tell the students to see if they can guess which vegetables are in the same
family. Tell them to group the vegetables together in families. Tell them that they have to work
together as groups to figure out how to do this, and they will be asked later WHY they made
their choices.
5. (10 mins) Regroup and go around the different groups, verbally or walking around the room,
asking each group to present their families, and why they decided that they are related.
Wrap up
(20 mins) Close by explaining that they all made really good guesses as to what vegetables are
related and why. Scientists also have to make really good guesses on how to do this, and
sometimes they change their minds and re-classify things! Show them the actual groupings of
vegetable families on one of the tables.
Assessing Student Knowledge
Ask them to say what common traits they think these vegetable families have, and how they are
different from each other.
Extensions
- Have students make a poster of the different vegetable plant families.
- Make a family re-union meal! Make dishes, each dish representing a different plant family. E.g.
a broccoli family cheese bake, a tomato family lasagna, a cucumber family salad.
- Research and show a map of where all of these vegetable families came from originally, and
also map out where students families came from.
* MA Department of Ed. Standards in this lesson*
Life Science 1. Classify plants and animals according to the physical characteristics they share.
P. O. Box 345 Seekonk, MA 02771
www.aginclassroom.org
Please Visit the Massachusetts Agriculture in the Classroom Website
to tell us how you used this resource.
Thanks!
Lesson and agricultural enhancement supported by a grant from the Massachusetts Society for the
Promotion of Agriculture.