Grades 3–5 (Kit)
Explore the six classes of wheat grown in the United States! This kit gives students a hands-on way to compare and contrast the unique characteristics of Hard Red Winter, Hard Red Spring, Soft Red Winter, Soft White, Hard White, and Durum wheat. Students can examine grain color, size, and hardness while discussing how each class is used in bread, pasta, and other foods.
Perfect for science or social studies lessons, this activity helps students connect plant characteristics to food production and nutrition. Each kit contains enough wheat samples for 30 students to explore together.
Kit Contents
- Wheat kernel samples of all six classes grown in the U.S.: Hard Red Winter, Hard Red Spring, Soft Red Winter, Soft White, Hard White, Durum
- Information cards describing characteristics and uses of each class
Lesson Plans
Use this kit with the featured lesson: Wheat Germ DNA.
Find additional lessons on wheat, grains, and food systems on the National Agricultural Literacy Curriculum Matrix.
Extend the Learning
Have students research which types of wheat are grown in your state, map wheat-growing regions across the U.S., or compare wheat kernels under a magnifying glass to look for subtle differences in size and shape.
