7/25/19«Строка_приветствия», chinn@hawaii.edu
7/25/19
5 E Place, Culture, and
Inquiry–based
Lesson Plan
Sweet Potato, ‘Uala
Pauline Chinn
University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa
Title: Sweet Potato, ‘Uala and Relatives (Family Convolvulaceae)
Grade: 4 or higher
Time: 2 hours without extension.
Standard 4: Life and Environmental Sciences: STRUCTURE AND FUNCTION IN
ORGANISMS: Understand the structures and functions of living organisms and how organisms can
be compared scientifically
To the Teacher: Connections to Place & Culture(s)
Through the activities in this lesson, students will explore and compare different structures and
functions of the sweet potato family composed of familiar native and introduced members that
range from culturally and economically valuable to invasive weeds.
Sweet potatoes,‘uala, were associated with Lono, god of planting and the demigod Kamapua‘a. A
broken sweet potato resembles a pig snout, leaves may remind one of a pig’s head (kukui, too), thus
were considered kinolau, body forms of Lono. ‘Uala could be grown in sunny, drier areas than kalo
in any soil but heavy clay. Though most food plants brought by Polynesian voyagers were
domesticated in Asia and the Western Pacific, genetic evidence indicates sweet potatoes were
domesticated in S. America. Family members including the sweet potato (above) have flowers that
look like morning glories. Beach morning glory, pohuehue; pāʻū-o-Hiʻiaka, skirt of Hiʻiaka, and
koali are native to Hawaiʻi. Introduced relatives include edible ung choi (swamp morning glory),
and decorative wood roses, morning glories, and a few weeds. The legendary menehune ate ʻuala
and made baskets from koali vines.
Materials: Sweet potatoes, cuttings, relatives growing in the community, ung choi from market.
Instructional Activities:
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1. Engage: Connect topic to prior knowledge, engage learners in concept, process or skills to be
learned.
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List all the things we know about sweet potatoes.
What are names of sweet potatoes in different languages?
How does your family use sweet potatoes?
What do their flowers look like? How do they grow
What other kinds of plants have flowers sweet potatoes?
2. Explore: Which skills will be used? What will students do?
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Observe, describe, and draw various family members.
Locate and collect family members in community.
Test sweet potato for starch.
Use nutritional data to calculate the weight of sweet potato to meet daily requirements for
various nutrients e.g., Vitamins A and C, carbohydrates.
Propagate sweet potatoes from root or stem cuttings, study growth rates.
Research family members on web, in books.
3. Explain: What are main ideas and concepts? How will they be constructed and explained by
teacher and children?
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Scientific classification and description: flower shape, growth form, and adaptations.
What are effects of human selection on sweet potato? (Many varieties and large, starch
storing roots)
What characteristics give different family members cultural and economic value, or make
them undesirable weeds?
4. Elaborate/Extend: Which process skills will be practiced? How will ideas be extended to new
interests?
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Interview adult about cultural uses, prepare and share foods.
Read stories related to the topic.
Groups choose other Canoe Plants to research, present to peers.
Plan and plant a school garden with sweet potatoes, other culturally valued plants.
Discuss reasons to grow food plants in context of sustainability and healthy diet.
5. Evaluate: How will children show/know what they have learned? Teacher reflection, how
could the lesson by more effective?
Sources:
1. Abbott, I. A. (1992). Lāʻau Hawaiʻi: Traditional Hawaiian uses of plants. Honolulu:
Bishop Museum Press.
2. The 5 E’s: http://enhancinged.wgbh.org/research/eeeee.html
3. 5 E Lesson Plan Template: http://www.ehhs.cmich.edu/~dnewby/5eLessontemplate.doc.
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4. St. John, H. & and Jendrusch, K. “Plants introduced to Hawai'i by the ancestors of the
Hawaiian people” http://pvs.kcc.hawaii.edu/migrationsplants.html
5. Nutritional Education for Wellness: Cultural Cuisine (recipes with nutritional information)
http://www.ctahr.hawaii.edu/NEW/CulturalCuisine/CulturalCuisine.htm
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