The Light and Shadow of Nightshade

 You may have heard of the term “nightshade.” It is often associated with poison. But did you know that one of the four types of vegetables belong to the nightshade family? Learn to tell the difference by “eating up” these online activities.

 

CONNECT:

• See the various types of nightshade at https://kids.kiddle.co/Nightshade
• Watch what eatable foods belong to the nightshade family at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xdFSi2csCag
• Hogwarts students learned to plant mandrake, which is a member of the nightshade family. Get the real facts about mandrakes at https://kids.kiddle.co/Mandrake
• Is a tomato a fruit or a vegetable? Explore the controversy at https://youtu.be/9m81GlfA1BE

 

CREATE:

• Play with your nightshade food: potatoes; get the details at https://tinybeans.com/play-with-your-food-10-games-that-use-potatoes/
• Try fun things to make with potatoes at https://stpeterfood.coop/crafts-with-potatoes/
• Get active with tomatoes at https://seedstosuccess.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/HfHK_Tomatoes_Activity_Plan.pdf

 

CARE:

• Deadly nightshade is just that: highly poisonous. Learn how to recognize it at https://www.wildlifetrusts.org/wildlife-explorer/wildflowers/deadly-nightshade
• For centuries, people thought tomatoes were poisonous; find out why at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BBXwTVlwvQ8&t=86s
• Learn how to grow potatoes from a potato at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AzcXXuYBDqg

 

CAREERS:

Not scared about nightshade? Want to follow the light to a career with nightshade? You could be a scientist, a chemist, a doctor, a farmer, a gardener, a cook, a nutritionist, a grocer. Check out some possibilities:

• Vegetable grower: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k2mJHn_I-T0
• A day in the life of a vegetable packing factory: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u5sRBzIqeLc
• The ketchup industry: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nKVGzKoQ8X4
• Jobs in vegetables for the future: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=boaZLAful3I

Autumn Leaves of Notes

Autumn offers a subtle mix of weather and somberness. Here are some composers and their works related to autumn:

• Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky: 

  His "October, Autumn Song" is a programmatic piano piece from The Seasons, a set of twelve character pieces representing each month of the year. 
• Fanny Mendelssohn: 

  Her piano cycle Das Jahr ("The Year") features pieces for each month; "September," "October," and "November" specifically evoke autumnal moods. 
• Antonio Vivaldi: 

  While primarily for violin and orchestra, his famous "Autumn" from The Four Seasons (1723) is the quintessential programmatic piece capturing the season. 
• Joseph Haydn: 

  His oratorio The Seasons includes a section on "Autumn," reflecting the composer's musical portrayal of the season and its joys. 
• Jules Massenet: 

  He wrote songs, including the piece "Pensée d'automne" ("Thoughts in Autumn"), which conveys the passing of time and fading memories. 
• Edvard Grieg: 

  Composed an overture In Autumn, which features many elements found in his orchestral and piano works.