First PEAS to the Table
A RIF GUIDE FOR COMMUNITY COORDINATORS
Themes: Life Cycle of Plants, Gardening,
Presidential History, Friendship
Author:
Susan Grigsby
Book Brief: This story connects Thomas Jefferson’s garden pea contest to a gardening
contest in a classroom 200 years later.
Illustrator:
Nicole Tadgell
TIME TO READ!
Before reading: Ask the children if they have ever tried to grow something. Did it
grow? Why? Explain that this book is about a girl who has a garden contest to grow
the most peas in her classroom garden just as Thomas Jefferson did with his friends
200 years ago.
RELATED ACTIVITIES
PLANTING PEAS (AGES 5-12)
Materials: pea seeds, potting soil, water, paper cups,
craft sticks
Start a garden by filling a cup half full of potting soil.
Use your finger to make a hole and place 2-3 seeds in
it. Cover seeds with soil. Name the peas like Mya did;
write name on craft stick and place in soil. Water as
needed and let your garden grow!
PASS THE PEAS, PLEASE! (AGES 5-12)
Materials: variety of peas (including fresh, canned,
and frozen)
Using the five senses, taste and
compare a variety of peas. Create
a chart describing the different
peas. Vote for the favorite pea to
eat, and tally votes to determine
the winner. Include parents and
other staff as well.
DESIGN
A TRELLIS
(AGES 8-12)
Materials: string,
drinking straws,
masking tape,
miscellaneous
items (e.g.,
feathers, bells,
ribbon, etc.)
Gardeners use
trellises to support
plants to help
them grow
and keep away
unwanted pests. In groups of 2 or 3, design a trellis
for a garden using various objects creatively. Have
each group present their trellis and tell how it is
helpful to the plant.
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
OTHER BOOKS BY THIS AUTHOR
In the Garden with Dr. Carver (2010)
OTHER BOOKS ABOUT GARDENING
Tops and Bottoms, Janet Stevens (1995)
Water, Weed, and Wait, Edith Fine and Angela Halpin (2010)
First PEAS to the Table
A RIF GUIDE FOR EDUCATORS
Themes: Life Cycle of Plants, Gardening,
Presidential History, Friendship
Author:
Susan Grigsby
Book Brief: This story connects Thomas Jefferson’s garden pea contest to a gardening
contest in a classroom 200 years later.
Illustrator:
Nicole Tadgell
Content Connections: Science, History
TIME TO READ!
BEFORE WE READ,
LET’S LOOK AT…
The Cover: Have the
students predict what the
book will be about based on
the title and the front cover illustration. What is the
girl doing with her finger? What else do you notice in
the cover illustration?
The Pictures: Take a brief picture walk before
reading. Point out the pea plant’s life cycle on the
inside cover. What do the characters in the book
seem to be doing?
Prior Knowledge: Introduce historical information
about Thomas Jefferson and his garden at his home
in Monticello. Visit: classroom.monticello.org/kids/
resources/profile/81/Brief-Biography-of-ThomasJefferson/ and share with the class. Discuss
gardening. What is needed to grow food?
Vocabulary: agriculture, compost, Monticello,
transplanting, trellis
Purpose for Reading: “As we read, use clues in the
book to figure out who you think will win the contest
in Mrs. Garcia’s class and listen for ways that Thomas
Jefferson inspired the class.”
WHILE WE READ
MONITORING COMPREHENSION
uWhat is the First Peas to the Table contest?
uTo what does Mrs. Garcia compare the taste
of peas?
uWhat did Thomas Jefferson mean when he called agriculture the “crown of all the sciences”?
uWhy did Maya’s first group of peas not sprout?
uHow does Maya’s character change throughout
the book?
uHow do Maya and Shakayla show their
friendship?
LET’S THINK ABOUT
Our Purpose: “What were some of the ways that Thomas Jefferson inspired the students in Mrs. Garcia’s class to
have a successful pea garden?” “Who did you think was going to win the First Peas to the Table Contest?”
Extending Our Thinking: Ask these open-ended questions: Why were both Thomas Jefferson and Maya
successful gardeners? List the qualities a person needs to be successful. Ask the class what they think Thomas
Jefferson did with his peas and other vegetables after they were harvested from his 1,000 acre garden. How can
gardens be useful in schools, communities, and homes?
NOTE TO EDUCATORS
uExtension Activities for Educators also available.
uVocabulary Scaffolding Sheet also available.
First PEAS to the Table
A RIF GUIDE FOR PARENTS AND FAMILIES
Themes: Life Cycle of Plants, Gardening,
Presidential History, Friendship
Author:
Susan Grigsby
Book Brief: This story connects Thomas Jefferson’s garden pea contest to a gardening
contest in a classroom 200 years later.
Illustrator:
Nicole Tadgell
TIME TO READ!
Before reading, build
background: Have you ever
had a contest? What kind?
How did it work? What do
plants need to grow? How
can growing peas turn into
a contest?
While reading, draw conclusions: How does Maya
become more excited about the garden contest?
What things help Maya’s peas grow?
After reading, ask questions:
uDescribe Maya’s character throughout the story.
u How do Shakalya and Maya show friendship?
uWho wins the first peas to the table contest?
uHow did Thomas Jefferson influence the students in Mrs. Garcia’s class?
RELATED ACTIVITIES
PEAS AND PASTA
Ingredients: 1 pound of fun-shaped pasta, 2 cups of
fresh or frozen peas, 1/2 cup parmesan cheese, 3
tbsp. olive oil, 1 tsp. salt
Cook noodles according to package directions. In the
last 3 min. of cooking, add peas to the water. Drain
the peas and pasta, saving 1/4 cup of pasta water.
Pour pasta, peas, parmesan cheese, olive oil, and
saved water into a bowl. Stir to combine and enjoy!
EGG CARTON GARDEN
Materials: cardboard egg carton, seeds (let your child
choose a variety), soil, water, markers, craft sticks
Cut top off egg carton and set aside. Use markers to
decorate carton. Poke holes in each “dome” to allow
water to drain. Place the top underneath like a tray.
Fill each dome with soil. Have child plant 1-3 seeds in
each dome (about 1/2 inch deep). Use markers and
craft sticks to label what you planted in each dome.
Lightly water and place on a sunny windowsill. Water
garden and record observations daily. After the seeds
have sprouted, move sprouts to a larger pot or
outside garden!
POP THE POD RACES
Materials: 1 to 2 pounds of pea pods, bowls, a timer
Have a race with family members to see who can
shell the most peas in 5 minutes. Show children how
to shell pea by gently pressing on the seam with their
finger and running a finger through the inside to get
the peas out. The object is to have the most peas in
a bowl when time is up! Then, use the shelled peas in
the Peas and Pasta recipe above!
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
OTHER BOOKS BY THIS AUTHOR
In the Garden with Dr. Carver (2010)
OTHER BOOKS ABOUT GARDENING
Tops and Bottoms, Janet Stevens (1995)
Water, Weed, and Wait, Edith Fine and Angela Halpin (2010)
First PEAS to the Table
A RIF VOCABULARY SCAFFOLD
announce: to tell
someone something,
usually something
important
blossom: the flower
of a seed plant
neighbor: a person
who lives near you
contest: a thing
people try to win
by doing something
better than other
people
ruin: to break or
destroy something
experiment: a test
or a trial in order to
learn something
shell: the outer
covering of a nut,
fruit, or seed
garden: a piece of
land where fruits,
flowers, and
vegetables are
grown
windowsill: the
ledge or shelf at
the bottom of a
window
“hooting and
hollering”: shouting
with excitement
First PEAS to the Table
RIF EXTENSION ACTIVITIES FOR EDUCATORS
STEAM-THEMED: Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, Math
SCIENCE, WRITING
GROWING RIGHT BEFORE YOUR EYES
Materials: pea seeds (any variety), baggies, paper
towels, permanent marker, water, tape, window near
sunlight, journal or notebook paper
Watch peas sprout from seeds and begin their life
cycle. Write date and type of pea on baggie. Fold and
wet paper towel. Wring out
dripping water. Put paper
towel in baggie and add
seeds. Tape baggie to the
window. Track progress
of seed growth over
time by recording daily
observations in a journal.
Talk about the parts of
a pea seed and its life
cycle as the children
watch it grow.
MATH, SCIENCE
POD CASTING
Materials: pea pods, plastic baggies, magnifying
glasses, notebook paper, calculators, rulers, 1/2 cup
measuring cups
Provide 10-12 pea pods to groups of 2-3 students. Ask
students to hypothesize about the number of peas in
a pod and how many peas will make a 1/2 cup. Note
information on chart or board. With rulers, measure
the length of pea pods and record. Open a pea pod.
Using the magnifying glass to observe the peas,
count the number of peas in each pod. Record the
number and place the peas aside. Continue with each
pod. Using the recorded data, students can find the
average number of peas in their pea pod group and
the average length of their pods. For further math
investigations students can find the mode and
median of their sample of pea pods.
SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, WRITING
PEAS APLENTY
Mrs. Garcia’s class planted several varieties of peas.
Research 3-5 varieties and record information:
name, taste, color, growing time, size, etc. Create a
PowerPoint presentation about interesting peas.
Illustrate your
“Guide to Peas”
using pictures found online.
For fun, create a slide of a variety of pea you
create. Make up a name for it, its size, length, and
growing time.
ART, WRITING
COMIC STRIP “PEAS”
Materials (per student): paper or comic strip boxes,
crayons, colored pencils
Comic strip stories show simple, creative stories
with dialogue. Allow students to create a comic strip
about the adventures of three peas living in a pod.
Students share in small groups or whole class.
ENGINEERING
DESIGN A TRELLIS
Materials: string, drinking straws, craft sticks, yarn,
masking tape, feathers, bells, ribbon, etc.
Explain that gardeners use trellises to support plants
as they grow and to keep away pests. In groups of
2-3, allow students to design a trellis for their garden.
Students can use a variety of materials found in the
classroom. Have each
group create a poster
to present their trellis
and explain how it
would be
helpful.