Pinon -- The Grandest Nut

pictures of pinons

Grade Level:

2nd Grade

Subject Areas:

Social Studies
Science
Math
Language Arts

Objectives:

Students will acknowledge the pinon as an important ingredient to a special seasonal deer stew.
Students will recognize the landforms and regions where the pinon trees grow.
Students will differentiate between between the types of pine trees, and recognize the pinon tree when viewing photos.
Students will use standard and non-standard measurement to estimate weight.
Students will write about their pinon picking experiences.

Technology Equipment and Skills Needed:

Digital Camera
HyperStudio
Videocam
ClarisWorks
Research

Lesson Overview:

The students are excited about their pinon picking! Where they picked, how much they picked, and how they picked make the students sound like contestants. With this enthusiasm, lessons integrating Social Studies, Science, Math, and Language Arts can begin.

Geography: As students share information, direct them to use correct names for landforms and regions.

Science: Direct students to classify trees.

Math: Ask students to determine the number of pinons they picked.

Language Arts: Ask students to write about their experiences.

Cultural Content:

The Laguna Pueblo people look forward to a very special seasonal event during the fall --Deer Hunt. It is also during this time that the pinons might be in season. Because of nature's cycles, the pinon trees do not produce a crop annually. When there is a crop there is much excitement about picking. After the pinons are picked, they are dried, roasted, and salted. This pinon nut is one of the main ingredients in the deer stew. The deer dinner is a celebration for the successful deer hunt. A continued celebration is the Deer Dance -- a dance in honor and appreciation of the deer.

Other Background Information for Teacher:

In the Southwest region, the pinon crop comes in cycles, every seven years. Students live in a geographic area where they can pick the pinons.

The cones open, and the pinons fall to the ground.

Vocabulary list:

landforms	mountains	hills	plateau	rocks
soil	trees	cones	water	needles
kneel	sit	crawl	lay	stand
shake	hit	branches	resin	sticky
sand	picking	blanket	cans	sacks
animals	deer tracks	units	pounds	scale

Assessment:

Student Presentations
HyperStudio
Portfolio
Field Trip
Illustrations

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