Nut Cracking: Purchase a bag of mixed nuts in shells. Place them in a bowl on a tray with several kinds of nutcrackers. Have a spare bowl for the shells. Have the children crack several nuts and taste them. They can compare the different nuts characteristics and tastes. They can also compare the nutcrackers used. For more ideas on this and for a home/school connection, see Idea Bags for the Kitchen, pages 46-48.
(Note: Peanuts are not nuts; they are legumes. They are harvested in the fall and that is why they are included here. I have a separate set up to crack them and eat them.)
