Winnowing

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/winnowing

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 process name?Winnowing
2. What is the primary objective?Separation of grain kernels from chaff, husks, and other light debris
3. How does wind help separate grain from chaff?Grain is heavier and falls back to the ground, while the lighter chaff is carried away by the wind because it has more surface area. This uses simple physics of weight and air.
4. Why was winnowing important for ancient people?Without winnowing, the grain would stay mixed with chaff and be hard to eat. Winnowing made food safer, easier to store, and helped people grow more food.

Aerodynamics: The study of how air moves and interacts with solid objects, like how wind affects chaff.
Density: A measure of how much mass is packed into a given volume; heavier for its size means higher density.
Post-harvest Losses: The reduction in the quantity or quality of food crops that occurs between harvest and consumption.
Mycotoxins: Harmful chemical substances produced by certain molds that can grow on grains.