Radish

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/radish

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?Raphanus sativus
2. What is the estimated origin?Likely China, with ancient cultivation in the Mediterranean and Egypt
3. Why do radishes taste spicy?Radishes have special sulfur compounds called glucosinolates. When you bite or cut them, an enzyme turns these into isothiocyanates, which give the spicy feeling.
4. Where did radishes first grow?Scientists think radishes were first grown in China. From there they spread to Asia, the Mediterranean, and even ancient Egypt.

Cultivar: A plant variety that has been produced in cultivation by selective breeding.
Isothiocyanates: Sulfur-containing organic compounds derived from glucosinolates, responsible for the pungent taste in radishes and other cruciferous vegetables.
Phytochemicals: Naturally occurring chemical compounds found in plants that may have health benefits.
Intercropping: The practice of growing two or more crops in close proximity to each other.