Food and Fibre

Food and Fibre

Plants and animals provide us with the food and fibres that we rely on everyday.

Food

Food includes all the things that we eat. These could be made from plants or animals, and be fresh or processed. Sometimes, we might not realise what plants or animals we are eating because they have been processed into something else.

  • Wheat > Flour > Bread, Cakes, Pasta
  • Cow > Milk, Cream > Icecream, Cheese

Look at your breakfast, lunch or dinner. Can you tell where the ingredients come from?

Fibre

Fibres include all the materials that we use to make items such as clothes, bags, sheets, and rope. Fibre materials even includes the wood that is in your house. Fibres can come from animals but also from plants.

  • Cotton plant > Seed boll > Sheet, T-shirt
  • Sheep > Wool > Jumper, Insulation, Quilt
  • Cow, Pig > Skin > Leather > Shoes, Bags

How many items in your bedroom contain fibres from plants or animals?

 

DOWNLOAD ACTIVITY SHEET

Food and Fibre

We love produce

In this activity you will learn how we use the produce that is grown on farms. This starts with an introduction to the plants and animals that are farmed and how we use them. Then you will take a closer look at the different parts of plants we eat.

Step 1

Have a look through the online presentation ‘An introduction to farming‘ to see what different plants and animals are farmed for.

Step 2

Print or create your own version of the ‘Parts of plants we eat’ table. Recall the products each plant or animal listed provides. Go through the presentation again and fill in any gaps you may have. 

Step 3

Print out a copy of the ‘Parts of plants we eat‘ activity sheet. Put the different foods into lists under the part of the plant you think they come from. Some may be tricky. If you’re unsure, look up the food on the Internet.  

Step 4

Take a look at the plant food items in your fridge and pantry. What part of the plant do they come from? Create your own version of the table on the Activity Sheet. Tally your answers.