Potatoes... Where Do They Grow?

Potatoes! We like them baked, mashed, and deep fried as french fries or potato chips!

Digging into the geography and science will make you a more savvy consumer and "spud-smart." Time to begin the investigation!

Where do potatoes grow? Above ground or below? What type of climate?

Why do farmers grow potatoes from sections of potato instead of from the seed produced by the flower?

• K-2nd Grade: Use the Plant Tops and Bottoms lesson to discover that fruits and vegetables come from plants. Janet Steven's book, Tops and Bottoms would also be an excellent addition!

Do potatoes come from the top or the bottom of a plant?

• 3rd-5th Grade: Use the Powerful Potato lesson to explore life science and observe a potato growing with and without soil! The book, No Small Potatoes is also a great addition.

How does geography impact the growth of potatoes?

• 6th-12th Grade: Take a look at Geography and Climate for Agricultural Landscapes. Discuss how climate, geography, and food are connected.

If you could only consume locally grown foods, would potatoes be part of your diet?

• 9th-12th Grade: Think about genetics in relation to the potato. Farmers grow potatoes from sections of the potato. Is this a form of sexual or asexual plant propagation? Potato plants do produce a flower, containing seeds... why don't farmers plant these seeds? (The answer is in the video!)

What form of plant propagation produces a crop genetically identical to the parent crop?

Visit the National Agricultural Literacy Curriculum Matrix for hundreds of free K-12 lesson plans aligned to National education standards. Visit the eLearning site for resources adapted specifically for online learning.