Capsicum

High school (ages 12+)
Food & Cooking

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/capsicum

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the scientific name?Capsicum
2. What is the native continents?North America and South America
3. What are Capsicum plants and where do they come from?Capsicum plants are flowering plants that belong to the nightshade family. They originally grew in the Americas and have been grown by people for thousands of years.
4. Why do some peppers taste hot?The heat in peppers comes from a chemical called capsaicin. It irritates mammals but not birds, so it helps protect the plant from animals that might eat the seeds.

Genus: A taxonomic rank in the biological classification of organisms, grouping closely related species.
Solanaceae: A diverse family of flowering plants, commonly known as the nightshade family, including economically important crops like tomatoes, potatoes, and peppers.
Phenotypic Plasticity: The ability of an organism to change its phenotype in response to environmental changes.
Capsaicinoids: A group of chemical compounds produced by plants in the Capsicum genus, responsible for the heat sensation in chili peppers.