Teachers have been enthusiastic about this hands-on, family involvement activity in which the children take home two or three Fuyu persimmons for the family to taste. The teachers like the activity because it involves the family, it is a hands-on activity, and it is another occasion to use graphing for mathematics.
A letter is sent home to the parents that explains the Fuyu sampling. The teacher then sends fruit home with the questionnaire and a recipe page for the family to keep. The family helps the students complete the questionnaire. The questionnaire is returned to school the next day for the data collection activity. When the Summary Page is completed the teacher mails a copy to the California Fuyu Growers Association.
The California Fuyu Growers Association is eager for consumers to taste the Fuyu Persimmon. Growers who sell at farmers markets have found that when people who do not know the sweet persimmon taste the Fuyu they buy it. The Summary Page returned by teachers using the lesson have allowed the Association to verify the number people who are first time tasters.
Visit your local farmers market in early October to ask about availability of the fruit. The season is very short. Show the manager of the farmers market your sampling lesson. Ask for a Fuyu grower who would donate fruit for your students. When families taste the Fuyu, they will want to go to that farmers market to buy their Fuyus AND other products. Write the name and address of your local farmers market on the recipe page before making copies to send home.
Use these pages to conduct the Fruit Sampling lesson:
Family Letter
Home Questions
Home Questions Summary Page
Fuyu Persimmon Recipes
CALIFUYU
California Fuyu Growers Association
P.O. Box 1301 Valley Center, CA 92082
Email: jlbathgate@worldnet.att.net