Skip to main content

Oklahoma Agriculture in the Classroom

Calendar



April

Oklahoma Fruit of the Month: Strawberries

Strawberries can be grown throughout Oklahoma. They are the number one fruit crop for home plantings. Strawberries are the first fruits to ripen in early spring. In Oklahoma, most won't be ready until May. One cup of fresh berries supplies more than the recommended daily adult requirement for Vitamin C.

Strawberries are the only fruit with seeds growing on the outside.

Be a Food Explorer: Strawberry Bread

American Indians were already eating strawberries when the colonists arrived. The crushed berries were mixed with cornmeal and baked into strawberry bread. After trying this bread, Colonists developed their own version of the recipe and created strawberry shortcake.

Make Native American strawberry bread as described above. Crush frozen strawberries or strawberry preserves into your favorite cornbread recipe or mix. Serve with strawberry cream cheese with a few fresh strawberries on the side.

Play With Your Food: Strawberry Math

On average, there are 200 seeds on a strawberry. Using this figure, have students estimate the number of seeds in a cup of fresh strawberries. Develop a strategy for counting the seeds before eating the strawberries.

Strawberries (Serving Size: 1/2 cup, sliced)
amounts per serving
% daily value
calories
25
 
calories from fat
0
 
total fat
0g
0%
sodium
0mg
0%
total carbohydrate
6g
2%
dietary fiber
2g
7%
sugars
4g
 
protein
1g
 
Vitamin A
 
0%
Vitamin C
 
80%
calcium
 
2%
iron
 
6%
Percent daily values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
Oklahoma's Berry Best
Activities and information about the variety of berries grown on Oklahoma farms.
In Strawberry Fields
Math problems related to the wages of farm workers.
DNA Blueprint for Life
DNA experiment with strawberries
Songs and Poems
Book
Gibbons, Gail, The Berry Book, Holiday House, 2002. (Grades PreK-3)
Discussion of how berries grow in the wild and how they are cultivated in fields and gardens domestically, including the impact of climate. The author describes the uses of edible berries and even provides directions for growing strawberries.