Rainforest Fruit Taste Test!

The Owls morning began in Spanish with Alicia. The Owls took out their las alas and flew off to Colombia, where they read Mi Gatito Es El Mas Bestia.

After Spanish, the Owls came back to the classroom for a little bit of Choice Time and a Rainforest Fruit Taste Test with Misha, John Henry's mom. The Owls met on the front rug where they put their taste buds to the test. Before exploring, Misha and John Henry told us a few interesting facts about each fruit. Next, friends were given a piece of paper that listed all the special Rainforest treats. Friends were asked to describe what the fruit or snack looked, smelled and felt like. Finally it was time for the best part, the taste testing! If they enjoyed the fruit, they were asked to put a happy face next to the name, if they disliked it they glued down a sad face. We are so very proud of all the Owls because they all tried all of the fruits! 

The first fruit that friends explored was the banana. Friends described the banana as...

"The peel is very smooth"

"It's soft"

"The banana part is bumpy"

"It smelled very sweet"

"There is a peel to protect it!"

"Whitish yellow"

Friends learned that bananas are actually berries. They float when you place them in water. If you rub a banana peel on a bug bite it keeps it from itching. 

The banana was a BIG hit among the Owls and was given 10 out of 11 happy faces! 

The second fruit was the pineapple. Friends described the pineapple as...

"Heavy"

"Spikey"

"Soft inside"

"Green outside and yellow inside"

"It kind of looks like a puzzle"

"It has lots of pointed leaves"

Friends learned that a pineapple is just a bunch of berries bunched together and that it takes 3 years for a pineapple to ripen. 

The Owls rated the pineapple with 10 out of 11 happy faces!

The third fruit that friends tried was a mango. Friends described the mango as... 

"Orange and yellow"

"Very hard"

"Slippery"

"It tastes like candy yams"

"It is sweet like syrup"

We learned that the mango is the national fruit of India. Giving someone a bunch of mangoes is a gesture of friendship. The Owls rated the mango with 10 out of 11 happy faces!

Next we learned about papaya and guava. We did not eat eat the papaya and guava, but drank it in juice form. However, Misha did bring a papaya for us to observe. Friends described the papaya as...

"Looks like a pear"

"Soft"

"Black seeds"

"Smells like grass"

"Inside is orange and black"

The Owls learned that an unripe papaya may contain latex, and its seeds are black and taste like black pepper. Guava has lots of fiber and seeds (100-500), and has 4 times more Vitamin C than oranges. The Owls rated the papaya and guava juice with 9 out of 11 happy faces!

Lastly we learned about chocolate. Friends described the chocolate (chocolate sun butter cups) as...

"Smells like peanut butter"

"Bumpy sides"

"Smooth"

"Brown"

"Smells like a flower"

Friends learned that chocolate comes from beans, which are mostly grown in Africa. The first chocolate bar was made by Joseph Fry in 1847, who was part of the Society of Friends. The Owls rated the chocolate sun butter cups with 7 out of 11 happy faces!

 

Ask your Owl what Rainforest Fruit they enjoyed most!