Lesson Title –

It’s All About Winter Squash: What is it, why is it good for you, and what can you do with it?

Grade Group –

9-12 Topic –

Winter Squash. What is winter squash, why is it good for you, and what can you do with it?

Nutrition Competency –

Overarching: All students will demonstrate the ability to practice nutrition-related behaviors that reduce risk and promote health. Grade-Specific: (7.3.N) Identify strategies for eating more fruits and vegetables. (not grade specific- be able to identify a new fruit or vegetable)

Materials Needed –

A variety of winter squash to display. Provide name cards to accompany the squash so everyone knows the names of the various squash. If desired, raffle prizes can be provided to students if they answer questions correctly at the end of the lesson. Also optional, samples of winter squash recipes can be provided to bring more context to the lesson.

Lesson Background –

The focus food for the month of November is winter squash. Winter squash is a member of the gourd family. Despite the name, winter squash are grown in the summer months but are harvested in the fall when the weather gets cooler. It is most commonly sold in stores from September through December. Unlike summer squash varieties, winter squash has a hard outer shell, hard seeds, and a fleshy center (usually orange in color). Winter squash comes in a variety of different colors, shapes, and sizes. The most popular winter squash include: Acorn, Butternut, Spaghetti, and Pumpkin. Other Winter squash include: Hubbard, Turban, Banana, Sweet Dumpling, Buttercup (many types), Carnival Squash, Kabocha (Japanese squash), and Fairytale Pumpkin. Most winter squash are classified as an orange vegetable. The USDA

recommends consuming 2.5-5 cups of vegetables a day and around 5-7 cups of orange or red vegetables a week depending on sex, age, and activity. Eating winter squash can help fulfill this recommendation. Winter squash is very nutritional. All winter squash are low in calories, fat free, and depending on the variety they are high in vitamin A, potassium, and fiber. Some varieties also contain calcium, folate, and iron. Winter squash can be cooked in a variety of ways and can be made into both sweet and savory dishes. Ways to cook include: baking/roasting, boiling/steaming, sautéing, and microwaving.

Lesson Objectives –

Students will be able to identify at least 3 different kinds of winter squash Students will be able to describe one benefit of consuming winter squash

varieties Students will be able to list a variety of ways you can use winter squash Students will try a winter squash

Lesson Description –

Through teacher-guided discussion, students will become familiar with a variety of different winter squash. Students will also learn why winter squash is a healthy food choice and specifically what nutrients contribute to improved health. Students will then learn how to cook and incorporate squash into their diet. Finally, students will have the opportunity to try at least one winter squash, so that they are introduced to the idea of actually consuming the vegetable.

Lesson and Activity –

Have a display with a variety of different winter squash. Ask the class if anyone can tell you what is displayed in front of them? If the correct answer is not given, tell the class that what is displayed are actually winter squash. Then ask the class if anyone knew that these squash weren’t just for decoration, but that you can actually eat them? Explain what a winter squash is and the different varieties. Winter squash are a member of the gourd family. They are one of the oldest cultivated crops in the northern hemisphere. Despite the name, winter squash are grown in the summer months but are harvested in the fall when the weather gets cooler. Winter squash are most commonly sold in stores from September through December, but will keep in a dry, cool storage environment for 3-6 months. Unlike summer squash varieties, winter squash has a hard outer shell, hard seeds, and a fleshy center (usually orange in color). Their hard outer shell helps maintain the nutrients during the cooking process and this in addition to their lower water content make

winter squash much more nutrient dense than the summer squash. Winter squash come in a variety of different colors, shapes, and sizes. The most popular winter squash include: Acorn, Butternut, Spaghetti, and Pumpkin. Other Winter squash include: Hubbard, Turban, Banana, Sweet Dumpling, Buttercup (many types), Carnival Squash, Kabocha (Japanese squash), and Fairytale Pumpkin. Finally, point out that the focus food for the month of November is winter squash and now is the time to give it a try. Explain the nutritional value of a winter squash. Most winter squash are classified as an orange vegetable. The USDA recommends consuming 2.5-5 cups of vegetables a day and around 5-7 cups of orange or red vegetables a week depending on sex, age, and activity. Eating winter squash can help fulfill this recommendation. All winter squash are low in calories, fat free, and depending on the variety they are high in vitamin A, potassium, and fiber. Some varieties also contain calcium, folate, and iron. *If you wish to go into more depth you can describe why these vitamins and minerals are important. Vitamin A plays a role in vision, gene transcription, immune function, bone metabolism, and it is an antioxidant. Potassium is required for normal body metabolism. It plays a role in breakdown of carbohydrates and protein, acid-base balance, and building muscle. The body regulates potassium very carefully as it is vital for controlling the electrical activity of the heart. Fiber is the indigestible part of plant foods. It improves the overall health of the gut by providing food for intestinal cells and shortening transit time in the gut, among other reasons. Calcium is important for bone health and growth. Folate is a B vitamin necessary for the formation of DNA and red blood cells. Iron is also needed for red blood cell formation, and it is the primary carrier of oxygen in the body. Iron also impacts immune function and a variety of other body systems. Explain the different ways squash can be cooked. Squash can be baked, roasted, boiled, steamed, sautéed, and microwaved. It can then be eaten by itself such as butternut fries or roasted pumpkin cubes. Winter squash can also be incorporated into a variety of dishes. It can be pureed and made into a soup or pie. It can be stuffed with other ingredients and turned into a decorative entrée. Even the seeds can be roasted and eaten alone or added as garnish to soups or salads. Activity (*optional) Have one or more samples of cooked winter squash for students to try. Ask them what they think about the squash and if they would be willing to eat winter squash again. You can also ask if they would be interested in seeing winter squash on the cafeteria menu. Easy recipes for winter squash are attached. They can be used to make samples and/or can be given to students to take and try at home. Include discussion about bringing winter squash recipes home for the whole family to try.

Assessment – Student will be asked the following questions to assess comprehension of the lesson objectives:

Can anyone give an example of one kind of winter squash? What is one nutrient that squash provides? Or, what is one reason squash

is good for your health? What is one example of how you can cook winter squash?

Closing –

Review the overarching themes discussed about winter squash. They are an orange vegetable and 5 – 7 cups should be consumed each week of this or other red/orange vegetables. They cone in a variety of different shapes and sizes and can be incorporated into everyday recipes in a variety of different ways. Conclude with an optional raffle where students are awarded for answering simple question such as, what is one thing learned during this lesson and what is one type of winter squash.

Teacher Evaluation –

Based on the teacher evaluation, changes to the lesson plan were not required. The teacher evaluation follows:

Student Evaluations – The following is a sample of the questionnaire given to students. In addition, I did a raffle at the end of the lesson where I drew numbers and asked students what is one thing they learned during the lesson, what is one type of winter squash, what is one way you can prepare winter squash, and give one reason winter squash is beneficial for your health. If students answered correctly they received one of three gift cards.

The other responses are summarized below.

Please Answer the following: Yes No Before this lesson did you know you could eat winter squash? 13 8

After this lesson would you try winter squash at home? 21 0

Are you a vegetarian? 1 20

If yes, would you like to see winter squash on the lunch menu? 16 (5, no response)

List one thing you learned during this lesson:

Responses included: Winter squash has low calories and lots of nutrients That squash is high in fiber, calcium, vitamin A, etc. Pumpkin is a winter squash. That I should eat a lot more red/orange veggies a

week (5 - 7 cups). The month of November is about winter squash. Winter squash is grown during the summer but

harvested during the winter. Winter squash has nutrients that help your eyesight. many more responses were given

Comments/Suggestions (what did you like, what didn't you like, what would you change, etc.): Responses included:

I enjoyed the lesson Try asking questions and engaging your audience during the presentation, otherwise it

was very informative :). I liked how energetic the speaker was. I wish it would have been longer! I like the facts pretty interesting. I like the visual of actually having the squashes here to see. Give other common foods that contain squash. I liked the tasting because I have not eaten squash before. The information also told

me a lot about the squash ...and more

Overall, I was pleased with the students’ responses. They gave constructive criticism, but most comments were very positive. In addition, the responses to what they learned during the lesson were in line with the objective, which leads me to believe I was successful in conveying the messages I set out to. 21 out of 21 students said that after this lesson, they would be willing to try winter squash at home. This is directly in line with the grade specific objective. I felt like the lesson went very well, and the student responses confirmed this belief.

PowerPoint presentation used to support the lesson:

 

   

 

   

 

   

 

 Possible  recipes  for  sampling:      

     WINTER SQUASH CORNBREAD Ingredients 1 cup cooked and pureed winter squash 1 egg or equivalent amount of egg substitute 2 teaspoons baking powder 1 teaspoon salt 1 cup vegetable oil 3/4 cup yellow corn meal Directions Beat the egg lightly and mix into the winter squash. Add the other ingredients and mix lightly. Place the batter into a cast iron skillet or 9 inch square pan that has been coated with butter, margarine or no-stick spray. Bake at 3500 F for 40 minutes. SAVORY SQUASH SOUP

Makes 6 servings Ingredients 1 Tablespoon olive oil 2 chopped onions 2 chopped carrots 2 minced garlic cloves 1 cup canned tomato puree 5 cups chicken or vegetable broth 4 cups cooked winter squash 1 1⁄2 Tablespoon dried oregano 1 1⁄2 Tablespoon dried basil Directions 1. In a large saucepan, warm oil over medium heat. 2. Stir in onions, carrots and garlic. 3. Cook for about 5 minutes, covered. 4. Stir in the tomato puree, chicken broth, cooked squash, and herbs. 5. Bring soup to a simmer and cook, covered, for 30 minutes.

 For  more  information  and  references  visit:  

http://www.harvestofthemonth.cdph.ca.gov/download.asp#squash   http://urbanext.illinois.edu/veggies/wsquash.cfm   http://www.clemson.edu/extension/hgic/food/nutrition/food_shop_prep/f

ood_prep/hgic4258.html