No lack of potatoes here

Deirdre Newman

First-graders at Adams Elementary School used their taste buds and

their graphing skills for a delectable St. Patrick’s Day activity.

Teacher Robyn Reese invited her students to try various kinds of

potatoes -- a traditional Irish staple -- pick their favorite and

graph the results.

The winner? An American staple -- French fries.

The activity enabled the students to have an authentic Irish

experience, parent volunteer Ellen Dunning said.

“It’s about real food and culture -- as much as you can for a

first grader,” Dunning said.

Reese began the activity reading a story called “Jamie O’Rourke

and the Big Potato,” a folk tale about Ireland’s laziest man, who

grew a humongous potato.

Wearing a green leprechaun hat, Reese read the story in an

animated Irish brogue.

Then the taste-test began.

The students got to try raw, mashed, fried, baked and boiled

potatoes, which were supplied by parents.

After tasting a French fry, 6-year-old Draven Tolentino scrunched

his face into a look oozing with displeasure and said, “Blech!”

Then he held up a boiled potato and smiled.

“This one I like,” he said. “It tastes a little sweet and good.”

Next, they picked their favorite form of potato and graphed it on

a large piece of construction paper.

Reese said the activity incorporated a lot of California

standards.

“This is really an exciting way to take a holiday and take

literature, math and science and get a meaningful experience,” Reese

said.