This week we followed Shanleya to Grass Island where we learned about yet another group of monocots. Monocots have leaves with parallel veins as opposed to dicots whose leaves are net-veined. There are over ten thousand species of grass. Plants in this family include most edible grains such as wheat, rye, millet, timothy, oats, corn, rice, sorghum and barley. Also included are bamboo, reeds and sugarcane as well as many plants for turf and fodder.
Wheat
Oats
Rye
The edible part of the grass plant is the seed. Grasses are wind pollinated and do not need insects to assist in their pollination, therefore they do not have colorful flowers to attract insects. Grasses have three stamens and a pistil and are contained in modified leaves called bracts.
Ben's illustration of the characteristics of the Grass Family:
The Guardian of Grass Island by Chris:
Supplemental learning activities:
- Bake bread using different types of flour. Which do you like best? Which is healthiest for you? Which state in America produces the largest amount of each type of grain?
- Taste different forms of sugar (sucanat, brown sugar, powdered sugar, granulated sugar, raw sugar). Which do you like best? Which is the purest form of sugar? Where is sugarcane grown in the world?
- Where does bamboo grow? Purchase a tabletop bamboo plant and watch it grow.
- Learn the differences between different types of sod grasses. Which grass grows best in your region of the country?
- Visit a sod farm if you live in a warm area of the country.
- Visit a grist mill.
- Visit a bakery (Ok, that one might be stretching it a bit. :)
In keeping with the grains and grasses theme, our family had a baking day this week. First, we searched the recipe archives of mothers who have many children. I figured that their recipes would certainly be tried and tested to perfection. I was right. We made Danielle Bean's Banana Bread and Michelle Duggar's Homemade Rolls in addition to four loaves of sandwich bread. Both recipes produced such delicious results that I was forced to freeze the extras in fear that we would eat them all in the first 24 hours!
Here is Christopher mixing the banana bread:
The Duggar's rolls, golden and delicious from the oven:
Little Annie's chubby hands kneading the bread dough:
I can't resist posting this one as well.
The finished loaves (One did not rise so well.):
Needless to say, our freezer is stocked and our tummies are full!
If you have read this far, I thank you. :)
Have a wonderful evening!
