Cucurbita

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/cucurbita

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?Cucurbita
2. What is the agricultural significance?Major food crops globally, providing carbohydrates, vitamins, and fiber; also used ornamentally
3. What are cucurbita and why are they called the gourd family?Cucurbita are squashes and pumpkins that grow on vines. They are called the gourd family because many of them look like gourds.
4. How did people turn small bitter squashes into big tasty pumpkins?People chose squashes that were bigger and sweeter and planted them again. Over many years, the squashes grew larger and less bitter.

Domestication Syndrome: A suite of traits that often arise during the domestication of plants.
Peppo: A type of berry with a hard rind, characteristic of the Cucurbitaceae family.
Genetic Diversity: The total number of genetic characteristics in the genetic makeup of a species.