CSA Pickup: Week of July 15, 2026 - Broccoli STEM Exploration
Updated: Aug 18
Some CSA weeks bring big surprises, and others offer steady consistency, which is actually great for noticing small details. Even though this week’s pick up looks a lot like last week’s, the produce itself has shifted in tiny ways: color, texture, size, and patterns that show how midsummer growth is progressing. These little changes make for easy, kid‑friendly STEM observations as we unpack and cook.
In this series, I'll share what we received, one simple STEM exploration, and an easy recipe we made with something from our CSA box.
Jump Links to Main Sections
What We Received This Week
Carrots
Beets
Broccoli
Cauliflower
Kale
Zucchini
Cucumbers
Romaine Lettuce
Tomatoes
Cabbage Head
Quick Produce Notes
Broccoli: The branching structure of broccoli gives us a great opportunity to explore repeating patterns and self-similarity in nature.
Zucchini: Blossoms are abundant; ideal for observing pollination and early fruit formation.
Cucumbers are high in water, and high heat increases the water content due to how their cells respond to the heat.
STEM Exploration: Broccoli Fractal-Like Patterns
Broccoli is a fun vegetable to explore because its branching structure gives us a chance to see patterns repeating at different scales.
A large broccoli head is made up of smaller florets, and those florets contain even smaller branching structures. When we look closely, we can see similar branching patterns repeating again and again. This is called self-similarity, when parts of a structure resemble the larger structure.
What You Need
One broccoli head
A knife (An adult can cut the broccoli, or a child can use an appropriate child-safe knife with supervision.)
Steps
Choose a broccoli floret and look closely at its shape.
Break or cut the floret apart so you can see the smaller branching pieces.
Compare a small floret with a larger one.
Look for similar shapes and branching patterns.
Ask: Does the smaller piece remind you of the larger broccoli head?
What to Notice
Look closely before explaining the science.
What does your child see?
You might notice:
Tiny branching structures
Branches that split into smaller branches
Similar shapes repeated at different sizes
Patterns that look similar close-up and farther away
Differences between individual florets
The pattern won't be perfectly identical at every size, and that's okay. We're looking for similarities, not perfection
STEM Concepts
Broccoli is a great example of a fractal-like pattern in nature.
A fractal is a mathematical pattern in which similar shapes or structures can appear again and again at different scales. In nature, these patterns are usually not perfectly mathematical. Instead, we often see self-similarity, smaller parts that resemble the larger structure. Broccoli gives kids a chance to see this idea with their own eyes.
Look at the whole head. Then look at one floret. Then look at an even smaller branch. How much does the pattern stay the same?
That's the STEM exploration.
Kitchen Science: This Week's CSA Dish
Steamed Broccoli
Steaming broccoli is a simple way to explore how heat and moisture change vegetables. It's quick, hands-on, and gives kids plenty of opportunities to notice changes in color, texture, smell, and taste.
Ingredients*
One broccoli head
Wash the broccoli and cut or break it into florets.
Place the florets in a steamer basket over simmering water.
Cover and steam for about 4–6 minutes, or until the broccoli is tender but still bright green.
Let it cool enough to safely taste.
*If your broccoli heads are small, you may want one head per person.
How Kids Can Helped
Washing the broccoli
Breaking florets into smaller “trees”
Arranging the pieces
Watching the color change as the broccoli cooks
Feeling the difference between raw and cooked broccoli
Taste testing raw versus cooked broccoli
Kid Skill Highlights
Fine motor skills: Breaking florets apart
Kitchen confidence: Helping with simple preparation
Sensory exploration: Noticing smell, color, texture, and taste
Pattern recognition: Looking for repeating branching patterns
Cooking Reflection
Choose two or three questions to get your child thinking like a scientist. If they're enjoying the conversation, keep going, or make up your own!
What changed when we cooked the broccoli?
What did you notice first?
What patterns did you see?
Did the broccoli look different before and after cooking?
Did the texture change?
Which part of the activity was the most fun?
Cooking Observations and The Science Behind Them
Color: Broccoli can become a brighter green when it is briefly steamed. Heat changes the plant's cells and can affect how we see the pigments in the vegetable.
Texture: As broccoli cooks, heat softens the structures that help give the plant its firmness. Water and heat change the texture, making cooked broccoli softer and easier to bite.
Aroma: Cooking can change the compounds responsible for broccoli's smell. Broccoli contains sulfur-containing compounds, which can become more noticeable as it cooks.
Moisture: Because broccoli is being steamed, it is exposed to heat and water vapor. Unlike roasting, steaming doesn't intentionally dry the surface of the vegetable.
Science Words to Know
You don't need to memorize these words! They're simply useful vocabulary for describing what you're noticing in the kitchen.
Fractal: A mathematical pattern in which similar shapes or structures repeat at different scales.
Self-similarity: When a smaller part of something looks similar to the larger structure.
Pattern: Something that repeats or follows a recognizable arrangement.
Scale: The size at which we are observing something.
Cell wall: A strong outer structure around plant cells that helps give plants their shape.
Sulfur compounds: Natural compounds found in vegetables like broccoli that contribute to their distinctive smell.
Steam: Water that has changed from a liquid into a gas because of heat.
Closing
Even with a familiar CSA box, we found a few good reasons to slow down and look closely. A simple head of broccoli became an opportunity to explore patterns, scale, plant structure, and the way food changes when we cook it. That's one of my favorite things about seasonal learning.
We don't always need to create a lesson. Sometimes we just need to notice what's already in front of us.
Comments