Oranges: A Taste of California Sunshine

Although most people are aware that food provides nourishment, we rarely consider the geographic, historical, and cultural conditions that have influenced what we eat and how we procure, prepare, and serve it. By exploring food through a prism of culture, time, and place, we build a deeper appreciation of how regional characteristics have shaped our global food system.

Who doesn’t love sweet, juicy navel oranges? In this lesson, students read about agricultural innovator Eliza Tibbets, observe individual navel oranges up close, and compare the taste of navel oranges to other citruses. In doing so, they begin to understand the important role navel oranges have played in shaping California.

Grade Levels: 3-5

Learning Objectives: Students will

• Describe one chapter in the history of California’s navel orange industry.
• Hone observation skills, identifying sufficient details of a particular navel orange to pick it out from others.
• Compare the tastes and textures of different citrus varieties grown in California.

Length: One to two 50-minute periods.

Standards: This lesson contains specified alignments to Next Generation Science Standards and Common Core Standards. 

Download Oranges: A Taste of California Sunshine PDF [2.6M]

A California Food for California Kids® downloadable resource