Materials

• Corn Product Checklist
• Items made with corn (see checklist for ideas)
• Magnifying Lens (either real or made of paper)

Optional:

Directions

• Show two completely different items that are made from corn. (example – a pack of gum and a battery)
  • Give each child a magnifying lens and tell them, we have a mystery to solve today. What do these two items have in common?
  • After some conversation time, reveal that they are both made from corn and specifically dent corn (also known as field corn).
• Bases off the resources you have available you can read either Corn by Victoria Blakemore, Corn by Gail Gibbons or review Common Items Containing Corn from Kansas Corn, to get information about corn and a list of products made from corn.
  • Once you have done that ask the following question: what are some foods that you like to eat that are made from corn? Answers: corn flakes, corn muffins, cornbread, popcorn, etc.
  • Next, gather some items from the products list. Put the battery and gum and 3-4 other items from the checklist on the table. Explain that all these items contain corn in some way; in the product itself or in the wrapping or container that the product is in. Ask the question: what are some other ways we could find products made from corn? Answer – Ask Siri or Alexa, look it up on the internet, check out a book from the library, read the list of ingredients on a package, ask a farmer, etc.
• Our world is full of many products made of corn, not just food. Let’s be detectives and go on a Scavenger Hunt around the house to find some of these items.
  • Hand the checklist out. Go over the checklist together and have kids use magnifying lens as they look at their papers, then get started looking for the items.
• After gathering items, compare what was gathered.
• Have them return the items to their original places and as a treat you could give them the gum from the lesson if everything is returned properly.
• Closure: Give them a piece of paper and have them fold the paper into four squares. Then have them sketch, draw or color and label 4 items that are made with corn.
  • Bonus: Many products are made from corn. Can you find one item that is not made with corn.

Additional Resources

• Corn by Victoria Blakemore
• Corn by Gail Gibbons
• Common Items Containing Corn from Kansas Corn: https://kansascornstem.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/Common-Items-Containing-Corn.pdf
• A Maize-ing Corn Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=–pl62_GF7E
• Instead of printing off or showing the checklist on a computer screen, make up riddles for each item and
  kids run off to find it.
  • Example – I am tasty and sweet. I usually either black or red. You can pull me apart to eat me. I look
    like a long string…what am I? – Licorice