Eggplant

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/eggplant

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?Solanum melongena
2. What is the geographic origin?Indian subcontinent, with early cultivation dating back thousands of years
3. What is an eggplant and why is it called a "mad apple"?An eggplant is a purple vegetable that is actually a fruit. It was once called "mad apple" because people thought it might be poisonous.
4. Where did eggplants originally come from?Eggplants started in the Indian subcontinent thousands of years ago. They later spread to Asia, Africa, and the Mediterranean.

Solanaceae: A diverse family of flowering plants, including economically important crops and some toxic species.
Phytonutrients: Naturally occurring compounds in plants that have protective or disease-preventive properties.
Anthocyanins: Pigments that give many fruits and vegetables their red, purple, and blue colors, known for antioxidant properties.