Activity

Gazpacho soup / veggie smoothie

Summary
Make gazpacho soup and identify the part of the plant for each ingredient.
Science content
Biology: Features, Adaptations of Living Things (K, 1, 3, 7)
Biology: Classification of Living Things, Biodiversity (1, 3)
Lessons activity is in
Materials
  • Blender
  • chopping board
  • knife
  • dixie cups to drink from
  • 1 cucumber (fruit)
  • 2 bell peppers (fruit)
  • 6 ripe tomatoes (fruit)
  • 1/4 sweet onion (root: bulb)
  • few basil, oregano or other herb leaves (leaf) Not in traditional gazpacho soup recipes but adds another plant part
  • small stick celery (stem) Not in traditional gazpacho soup recipes but nice to add a stem
  • 2 cups tomato juice (fruit)
  • 1/4 cup olive oil (oil from fruit)
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper (dried fruits)
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt (not from a plant: a rock)
Procedure

Do as a demonstration.
As each ingredient is used, discuss what part of the plant it comes from. Students can optionally add the ingredients to the attached worksheet as they are each identified.
Roughly chop the ingredients. Add to the blender and puree. Add more salt to taste.

Bell peppers, cucumber and tomatoes are fruits - they contain the seeds.
Onions and garlic are bulbs - underground storage structures that help a plant survive dormant periods, and nourish the plant during growth and flowering.

Grades taught
Gr K
Gr 1
Gr 2
Gr 3
Gr 4