Hailing from Ohio, Becky Bucher not only wrote and received a grant making it possible for her to get combination air fryers and pressure cookers for her class, but she also created and shared this awesome lesson around them!  The Air Fryer & Pressure Cooker Lesson Plan is full of activities that will help her students get acquainted with it in her new Foods classes in the upcoming school year. So, if you have this small appliance or plan to get one, continue reading to see what she’s doing.

Helpful Notes

• Through an email from her superintendent, Becky noticed an opportunity through an area Rotary Club for a grant which would support classroom activities. Hearing her students talk about air fryers and instant pots (pressure cookers), she decided to write a grant (her first time doing so) for a combination one along with money to purchase food for labs with the appliance. After being awarded the grant, she looked online for possible lessons to adapt but found none, thus the reason for creating this lesson plan.
• This lesson will be used at the start of the Foods 3 class each year as this is the main course that Becky plans to use it in to make this course “different” from the activities and lesson plans in Foods 1 and 2. She also thinks that the appliance will be a good fit with this course as it will focus more on foods from the various food groups for the My Plate Theme throughout this course. She also plans to use it as a quick “review” at the start of Foods 4 as each of these are semester classes, using it more for actual “meal” preparations in the pot than individual foods with meal planning and parties and such.
• The duration of this lesson is approximately 2 weeks (9 days), based on 45 minute class periods.

Set

• To begin the lesson, ask the students what they know about air fryers and/or pressure cookers/ instant pots. Ask the students to share any ideas they have or meals they have seen made in these appliances. Take a few minutes to discuss the pros and cons of each appliance and complete the KWL Chart.
• Present the instant pot / air fryer to the students in the box, explain how to view and read product labels / display the owner’s instructional manual and
  the importance of it.
• View the Ninja Foodie Overview and Cooking Demo video on YouTube.

Materials

• Chromebooks or iPads
• Projector & Screen
• Air Fryer/Pressure Cooker Combo Appliance (affiliate link) & Owner’s Manual

Activities

• Using the owner’s manual, the students will create a presentation, evaluating the appliance’s features using Google research, the appliance itself, as well as the owner’s manual, sharing their thoughts about cost, value, ease of use, and clean-up.
• This activity will be completed in a “jigsaw learning format” with each group assigned a topic area  All “ jigsaw teams” will share one Slide Presentation template which is provided by the teacher. Topic areas include:
  • List and Explain the benefits / cost / value of using this appliance in cooking
  • List and Explain the different parts of the appliance, their functions, and ease of use
  • Explain the similarities and differences between the two types of appliances – air fryer and pressure cooker
  • Describe and Explain how to handle and use the appliance in a safe and proper manner
  • Describe and Explain the steps on cleaning the appliance
  • Review and Explain the warranty
• Students will create a Title Slide for their “puzzle piece” and research the material and provide pertinent information for their classmates to review. When finished,
  groups will present their findings as their classmates take notes on a provided note taking form.

Day 3 & 4 : Learning Center Activities

• Learning Center materials can be found below under attachments and the topics include:
  • Parts
  • Control Panel
  • Cleaning/Maintenance/Safety
  • Do’s & Don’s
  • Recipe Research

Day 5 : Review

• Students will discuss and review what they have learned from the learning center day activities and present their findings to the class as well as turn in their work to the teacher.
• As a class, they will review various cooking charts and food items that can be made which are included with the appliance packaging. Ideas and food items to make this semester will be discussed and documented for future food labs.
• Trouble Shooting areas from the owner’s manual will be reviewed.
• Finally, if students have an air fryer or pressure cooker at home, they will share their experiences.

Day 6 : Prepping a Recipe

• Students will select a recipe, and needed items using price, brand, and size comparison shopping.
• Students will present their chosen recipe to their class in Google Doc or Slide format. Groups will select a recipe from those presented.
• Grocery shop for needed items using skills learned from previous food classes
• Annotate the recipe and discuss the cooking time and temperature of the appliance
• Review the appliance / reading the manual instructions / observing the appliance itself with switches and settings

Day 7, 8 & 9: Food Prep, Evaluation & Feedback

• Have the groups prepare the ingredients and cook the recipe together, following the steps they have outlined.
• Once the dish is cooked, the groups will evaluate their cooking experience.
  • Did they enjoy the process?
  • Was the recipe easy to follow?
  • Did they encounter any challenges?
• Encourage the groups to share their experiences and insights with the entire class.
• Conclude the activity by summarizing the value of using an air fryer/ pressure cooker for efficient and healthy cooking.

Remind students that they can continue to explore recipes for their air fryers / pressure cookers
at home.

Assessment

• To assess the learning outcomes of the activity, ask students to individually write a reflection essay, answering the following questions:
  • What was the most challenging aspect of cooking with an air fryer / pressure cooker?
  • Did you encounter any new cooking concepts or terms while browsing recipes online? If so, how did you learn about them?
  • What did you learn about making healthy meals with an air fryer / pressure cooker that you did not know before?
  • How did the recipe that you prepared turn out?
  • Would you change anything about it the next time you make it?
  • Would you recommend an air fryer / pressure cooker as a useful kitchen tool? Why or why not?
  • Did everyone in your group take part and do their fair share? Explain in detail.

Attachments

• Air Fryer/Pressure Cooker Appliance Jigsaw Puzzle Piece Learning Activity
• Jigsaw Puzzle Pieces Student Notes Form
• Learning Center: Parts
• Learning Center: Control Panel
• Learning Center: Cleaning & Safety
• Learning Center: Dos and Don’ts
• Learning Center: Recipe Research
• Learning Center Information Sheets
• Grading Rubric
• Lesson Plan