Green bean

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/green-bean

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 botanical name?Phaseolus vulgaris
2. What is the geographic origin?Mesoamerica and the Andes region of the Americas
3. What are green beans and where do they come from?Green beans are crunchy vegetables that grow on a plant called Phaseolus vulgaris. They were first grown in Mesoamerica and the Andes.
4. Why do we eat green beans instead of the dried beans?Green beans are eaten while the pod is still green and tender, so the whole pod, including the seeds, is edible.

Mesoamerica: A historical region and cultural area in the Americas, extending from central Mexico to northern Central America.
Pericarp: The part of a fruit that develops from the ovary wall and surrounds the seed(s).
Nitrogen Fixation: The process by which atmospheric nitrogen is converted into ammonia or other nitrogen compounds usable by plants.
Oxidative Stress: An imbalance between free radicals and antioxidants in the body, potentially damaging cells and contributing to disease.