George Washington Carver & the Peanut {a unit study}

We have enjoyed learning about George Washington Carver so very much! What a fascinating man!! We have also learned a lot about the peanut and done a few experiments with this interesting plant.

Did you know the peanut is not a nut??
{who knew? ha!}
It’s a legume! A bean!!

We planted a few peanuts to see what would grow!!

In one jar we planted a peanut in the shell. In the other jar we planted a peanut with only the red skin. We will have to let you know if we get anything to grow! 🙂

2 of our favorite peanut butter recipes! 

Peanut butter balls!!
My kids beg for these things and they are so simple. I don’t know why I don’t make these more often, it’s great for a high-protein snack!!

Ingredients: equal parts:

• peanut butter
• dry milk powder
• honey

Instructions:

• mix ingredients together, refrigerate for a bit til it hardens enough to roll into balls
• roll into balls approximately 1 inch in diameter
• store peanut butter balls in fridge

Another of our favorite peanut butter recipes:

No-Bake Energy Balls
(find that recipe here) 

We watched this video together about how peanut butter is made.

Books We Read:

• George Washington Carver
• The Story Of George Washington Carver (Scholastic Biography)
• A Weed Is a Flower : The Life of George Washington Carver
• A Picture Book of George Washington Carver (Picture Book Biography)
• The Groundbreaking, Chance-Taking Life of George Washington Carver and Science and Invention in America (Cheryl Harness Histories)
• George Washington Carver (On My Own Biographies)
• George Washington Carver: America’s Scientist (Heroes of History for Young Readers) (Heroes for Young Readers)
• The Life and Times of the Peanut
• From Peanut to Peanut Butter (Start to Finish: Food)

Helpful Links:

• a great peanut lapbook – with some great links
• Jimmie’s Peanut Squidoo page
• Homeschool Share printables/lapbook for GWC
• peanut life cycle page (scroll down)
• great booklet for kids to color & make on GWC
• My friend Amy’s field trip to the GWC museum!! Looks like a wonderful place!! Wish we were closer!! 🙂