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Roots on Our Plate

Activity

Tracing Food, Culture, and the Land

Think about the grains you eat at home. Take a walk outside and look for plants that resemble foods like rice or wheat. Use a magnifying glass to examine their seeds, stalks, and roots. Which parts would you eat, and how might you prepare them: by cutting, crushing, or cooking? Next, talk with family or friends about traditional foods they grew up with. Create a “food map” showing where those ingredients grow locally or in similar climates. What plants, animals, or grains appear often in your family’s story, and how do these foods connect to the land and seasons?

Science Seed

Food is a powerful expression of culture and identity, deeply shaped by the environment, history, and the diverse people who live in a place. Take corn, for example: it started as a wild grass thousands of years ago before Indigenous people carefully grew it into the staple crop we know today. When new groups arrived, they brought different plants and cooking styles, mixing traditions to create unique local dishes. People often choose foods that grow well in their climate or that can be gathered nearby, showing how culture and nature work together. By studying these food traditions, scientists learn about migration, trade, and how communities adapt to change. *Never eat any wild plant without having a 100% positive species ID, in Texas we have many lookalike plants that can make you sick!*

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earn Badges

Badges can be earned through hands-on experiences within each of the 16 branches of science, or “Science Slices.” You can earn a badge in each branch of science by doing four activities in these categories. We also encourage participants to keep a Nature Journal to record their memories, and to express themselves creatively through writing or drawing after each activity. We recommend that each child (and parent if they’d like) write or draw in a journal after each activity, with expectations of your children that match their age (the goal is self-expression, not perfection).

Explore Navarro Early College High School

join Families in Nature

It is our vision to inspire all families to fall in love with nature and foster the next generation of conservationists. Becoming a member of Families in Nature will give your family the opportunity to have adventures in nature, experience field science, develop as youth conservation leaders, and make memories that will last a lifetime. Memberships are free for everyone.

Who are we?

Families in Nature works to create opportunities for nature connection with the purpose of sparking a deep love and desire to protect, conserve and restore the environment. Our mission is to connect children and their families to nature and to each other through time spent learning, playing, and volunteering outdoors. It is our vision to inspire ALL families to fall in love with nature and foster the next generation of conservationists.

Navarro Early College High School is a vibrant, diverse public high school in Austin, Texas, grounded in a culture of pride, respect, and responsibility. Through a partnership with Austin Community College, Navarro’s Early College program allows students to earn up to an associate degree at no cost while completing their high school diploma, giving them a strong head start on college and career pathways. The school offers a wide range of academic, arts, athletics, and career-focused opportunities, and fosters a supportive community where students can explore their interests, build skills, and prepare for success beyond graduation.