Squash (plant)

High school (ages 12+)
Animals & Nature

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/squash-plant

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?Genus Cucurbita
2. What is the diet?Autotroph (plant) - produces its own food via photosynthesis
3. What is squash and where does it come from?Squash is a plant in the Cucurbita family that grows into tasty foods and pretty decorations. It originally comes from the Americas, where people have used it for thousands of years.
4. Why do some squash have hard shells and others soft skins?There are two main groups: hard‑shelled winter squash and soft‑skinned summer squash. The hard ones stay fresh longer, while the soft ones are eaten fresh or cooked quickly.

Pepo: A botanical classification for a berry with a hard rind, characteristic of the Cucurbitaceae family.
Phenotypic Plasticity: The ability of an organism to change its phenotype in response to environmental changes.
Columbian Exchange: The widespread transfer of plants, animals, culture, human populations, technology, diseases, and ideas between the Americas, West Africa, and the Old World.
Autotroph: An organism that can produce its own food, usually through photosynthesis.