Horseradish

Developed and Written By:

Bill Marsh
Vicki Hunter
Sherry Piffner
Introduction: This lesson focuses on the growth of horseradish in the Southwestern Illinois region.
Purpose: Through this lesson teachers will be able to explain why horseradish is primarily grown in the Southern Illinois Region.
Grade Level: Primary
Themes:  Region Location
Place
Human Environment Interaction
Objectives:







 The learners will be able to:
  1. Locate the Southwestern Illinois Region and Collinsville, Illinois (Horseradish Capital of the World).
  2. Explain why the climate of Southwestern Illinois allows horseradish to grow in the region.
  3. Express an understanding of why the Mississippi River Basin Area adjacent to St. Louis is significant to the growth of horseradish.
 Standards:  Geography Standards 1 and 4 (Grades K-4)
1.  How to use maps and other geographic representations, tools, and technologies to acquire, process, and report information from a spatial perspective.

4. The physical and human characteristics of places.
Materials:  horseradish plant or picture
Map of Illinois
Crayons
Blank paper for books
Pencils
Procedures:
  1. The teacher will begin by holding up a horseradish plant or displaying a picture of horseradish, and have the students predict what the plant is.
  2. After the predictions, the students will identify the plant by name and name the parts of the plants. The teacher will explain that it is grown underground, is cultivated by hand, and is harvested in the Spring and Fall.
  3. As a group, have a discussion of Collinsville, Illinois and Southwestern Illinois Region and its relationship to the growth of horseradish.
  4. After the discussion, students will be able to explain why climate and location are significant to the growth of horseradish.
  5. After the discussion, the Power Point presentation will be shown, to the learners. The students will be given time to ask questions.
  6. Students will be given an Illinois State map. They will locate and color the Southwestern Illinois Region. Through teacher modeling they will locate and place a dot on the map, to signify Collinsville, Illinois.
  7. Students will work in groups to create a book, which will include a title, author’s names, four facts, and illustration of a horseradish plant.
Conclusion/Assessment: As a conclusion, students will share their books aloud in class. The books will then be placed in the class library. For assessment, the teacher will check for the required information and its accuracy.
Extensions: Field Trip or Virtual Field Trip to a farm that grows horseradish.
Grind fresh horseradish in the classroom.
Use horseradish in various recipes.

Go to Horseradish presentation

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