Community Food Connection Show & Tell
Plants and Animals in Our Lives
25 minutes
Whole class
Discussion
Learning Objective
Help children recognize how local plants and animals contribute to their daily meals
Materials Needed
- Basket of local foods (breadfruit, mango, dasheen, fish, eggs)
- Chart paper
- Markers
- Pictures of local foods (optional)
Preparation
- 1Gather a variety of local foods or pictures
- 2Prepare chart paper with 'Plants give us...' and 'Animals give us...' headings
- 3Send note home asking families to contribute one local food item
Step-by-Step Instructions
- 1Invite children to bring one item from home or choose from the teacher's food basket
- 2Each child shares the name of the item in English and local language if different
- 3Ask: 'Does this come from a plant or an animal?'
- 4Help children explain how the food is eaten in their family
- 5Record responses on the chart under appropriate headings
- 6Celebrate the variety of foods from our Caribbean environment
Assessment
- Can the child identify whether a food comes from a plant or animal?
- Does the child participate in sharing about their food item?
- Can the child name at least 2 local foods?
Extensions
- Create a class display with photos/drawings of the foods and their sources
- Visit the school garden or local market
- Invite a local farmer to share about growing food
- Make a simple recipe using local ingredients
Teaching Tips
- Use both English and local language names for foods
- Encourage children to share family food traditions
- Connect to children's home experiences with these foods
- Be sensitive to different family food situations