Objective

• To use recycled and craft materials to create an ear of corn
• To use all five senses to investigate popcorn
• Learn to investigate the differences between corn types

Materials

• From Kernel to Corn by Robin Nelson
• Different Types of Corn Worksheet
• Kernels of popcorn
• Magnifying lens or cell phone camera
• Microwave popcorn
• Bowl
• Green construction paper or copy paper colored green
• Scissors, glue, pencil, crayons
• White cardstock or construction paper
• Craft supplies (see samples)
• Types of corn video provided by Devinlee21188 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wjAZDi4Gi1Q
• Corn coloring sheets

Directions

• Introduce popcorn kernels to students. Explain that the focus for now is on popcorn, just one of the different types of corn. Using either a magnifying lens or a cell phone camera (where you can zoom in), look closely at some kernels of corn and popcorn and talk about your observations.
• Pop a bag of microwave popcorn. Before putting the bag in the microwave, ask the student(s) the following questions:
  • What are our five senses?
  • Answer-sight, hearing, touch, taste, smell
  • What senses do you use when popping popcorn?
    • Answer-sight: watching the kernels pop, hearing: hearing the popcorn pop and listening to the crunch when eating the popcorn, touch: when you pick the kernels or popcorn up, taste: eating the
      popcorn and smell: the aroma of when the popcorn is popping
• Use the magnifying lens or cell phone camera to look more closely at the popped corn. Encourage kids to break apart the piece of popped corn to look at all of it.
• Read From Kernel to Corn by Robin Nelson to learn where corn comes from and what it looks like as it grows. Discuss the book and point out how corn looks before the husks are pulled back. Highlight that each
  individual kernel is a seed.

• Extend the lesson by comparing/contrasting popcorn with three other types of corn. Provide the Different Types of Corn Worksheet. Have the student use the magnifying lens or phone camera to investigate the
  kernels in the pictures. Match the word to the picture.

Watch the video 3 Types of Corn provided by Devinlee21188 to learn about the many uses of sweet, flint and dent corn.

Activity One

• Using the Corn Coloring Sheets pick one of the types of corn and color your ear of corn to match. If you print off more copies, the children can color more ears of corn and compare/contrast what they look like
  when fully colored.
  Optional: When coloring flint corn you can teach your students about using patterns when coloring the kernels different colors.
• Discuss how each kind of corn is different and recall what the uses for each kind of corn are.

Activity Two

Make picture or model of an ear of corn with things you have around the house. Allow time for kids to think or even walk around the house looking for items.

Here are some ideas of items you can use to make the corn:Other Ideas:

• Use real corn kernels or popped popcorn
• Dip pony beads in paint
• Paint on a real ear of corn and roll it on a piece of paper
• Circle/Dot stickers
• Pom pom balls
• Put white paper on a real ear of corn and make a crayon rubbing
• If using white construction paper, kids can lick/stick mini marshmallows on it

Conclusion

• Read From Kernel to Corncob by Ellen Weiss
• Science: Predict if a kernel will sink or float in a cup of water. Predict if a piece of popcorn will sink or float in a cup of water. Discuss results.