January

Oklahoma Fruit of Month - Dried Apricots

Dried apricots are very good for you. Just five dried apricots provide 36 percent of the recommended daily amount for beta-carotene (Vitamin A). Dried apricots also provide Vitamin C, iron, potassium, and fiber among other nutrients.

Play With Your Food - How Many Apricots?

1. Bring a small clear jar or cup and dried apricots.
2. Students estimate how many apricots will fit in the jar. Write the estimates on the chalkboard.
3. Students count as you place the apricots in the jar, smashing them down as necessary.
4. Students count by tens, and use tally marks to keep count.
5. Students modify estimates after you have counted 50.
6. Students compare the apricots with standard units (centimeter cubes, 1-inch cubes) to estimate the volume of the jar.
7. When the jar is about 1/4, students estimate how many more it will take to fill it, based on the number already counted.
8. Wear food handling gloves so students can eat the apricots afterward.

For older students

1. Bring a clear plastic container with lid to class.
2. Fill with dried apricots.
3. Students estimate how many apricots are in the jar.
4. Students will write their estimates on a small sticky note.
5. Draw a long line on the board to make a line plot.
6. Students decide who has the low and high estimate.
7. Students will p lace those estimates just above the line at each end.
8. As a class, compute the range.
9. Divide the line in halves and fourths.
10. Students will bring their estimates to the board and place them in the appropriate place on the line.
11. Students will compute the mean, median, and mode of all the estimates.
12. Students may also identify at clumps and outliers and complete a box and whisker plot. (See Graphs)
13. Using food handling gloves, divide the apricots among students for eating.
14. Each student will count his/her apricots.
15. Compute the actual number of apricots by adding students portions.

Be a Food Explorer

Dried Apricots (1 1/2 oz, about 5 dried apricots)