When teaching students measuring skills and then introducing them to the kitchens and labs, I often demonstrate a recipe. Demonstrations can be helpful
because students see the measuring that needs to be done using the same equipment and tools that will be available to them. It also shows them the mixing procedures and what it should look like at various stages until it reaches the final product. This Cowboy Cookies recipe is one I’ve used over the years that students have enjoyed and is nut free. This recipe can easily be made by students and because I always had extra cookies, we shared them in the office for all faculty and staff to enjoy!
Set
- Be sure you’ve taught measuring skills to your students so they understand the abbreviations, tools and equipment they will be using. If you are in need of lessons, check out my Measuring Abbreviations & Equivalencies Reinforcement Activities.
- Set up your kitchen area for the demonstration by having all the tools and equipment needed laid out ahead of time so you are ready to go.
- You can either demonstrate all of the measuring yourself so you can explain correct techniques and answer questions along the way. If you’re using this with a more experienced group as a review, then I would divide up the jobs by number and randomly assign jobs for students to complete as part of the demo.
- Depending on the length of your class periods, you may have to demo and bake the cookies one day and then sample the next.
Materials
- Measuring Utensils/Tools/Equipment
- Ingredients for Demonstration
Directions
- If you are having students sample the cookies made the previous day, have them complete the Measuring Chart as practice and review prior to eating the cookies. This can be gone over as a class.
- If you are assigning the demo recipe as a lab for students to complete on their own, in the class kitchens, then you will need to have them fill out their lab sheets with the members of their cooking group.
- You can always use the Measuring Chart as a pop quiz in the next day or so to see how well students remember proper measuring techniques!
- Note: If you also teach your students how to adjust recipe amounts, this one would be a good one to practice on as they will need to know their conversions. If you are in need of lessons, check out my Kitchen Measuring Skills: Adjusting Recipes Activities.
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