Pear: different shapes, a familiar core

Our little discovery

Describe shape precisely and find a pear’s seed-holding core.

What is inside?

• Skin. A thin jacket. Pears can be green, yellow or brown.
• Flesh. The pale, juicy part inside.
• Core and seeds. Small seeds sit inside the core.

Pear trees grow in many places with cool winters.

From tree to table

1. On a tree. Pears grow on pear trees.
2. First, a blossom. A flower can become a little pear.
3. Time to grow. The tiny pear grows bigger on its branch.
4. To the kitchen. Ask a grown-up to wash and cut it.

Shaking a tree in the playground is pretend play, not a real harvesting instruction.

Three ways to look closer

You can point, draw or talk. You do not need to taste anything.

1. Describe, then draw

   Turn the pear and point to its widest part. Draw its outline. Use words such as narrow, wide, rounded and curved instead of just saying “pear-shaped.”

2. Compare with an apple

   Open the pear and apple models. Where are their seeds? Which features do they share even though their outside shapes differ?

3. Try another variety

   With a grown-up, look at a real pear or pictures of two named pear varieties. Compare their shapes and skin colours. Keep both drawings; neither needs to match our character.

What to notice

Pears have a core containing seeds, like apples. European and Asian pear varieties can look quite different. A round fruit can still be a pear.

Wonder together

Someone says every pear must have a skinny top. What could you look at together to check that idea?