Spice It Up

Overview

This lesson is a sensory exploration of the herbs and spices that create food scents and flavors with a mystery twist- geographic and cultural examination. Herb growing in the garden will be encouraged. Students will be asked to explore antioxidants, vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients that herbs provide.

Objectives

Students will:

1. Grow herbs in the school garden.
2. Describe how herbs and spices flavor and enhance the foods we eat.
3. Explore a specific cultural recipe and describe the use of spices and herbs.
4. Research phytonutrients and create a poster project with details.
5. Compare and contrast claims versus scientific evidence the use of herbs for nutritional enhancements, medicinal preventatives and alternative medications by researching and debating their use, benefits and possible harm

Duration

Activity One: Two, 30-minute sessions
Activity Two: Two, 45-minute sessions plus time for student research
Activity Three: 45 minutes plus time for student research
Activity Four: Two, 45-minute class periods plus time for student research