If you really want to get the attention of your students when it comes to the importance of measuring and reading (and understanding) a recipe, assign the Gobbledy Gooks Measuring Lab! This non-sensical lab will give them a challenge, make them laugh and even frustrate them! However, it will also reinforce the need for correct terms and tools (actual measuring skills) as well as understanding tasks when preparing a recipe. So, if you’ve never tried this recipe out with your students, I encourage you to give it a try.
Author: K.Graybill
Kim Graybill is a veteran Family and Consumer Science teacher who teaches both middle and high school in Pennsylvania.
How To Be….Advice Assignment
The “How to Be…Advice Assignment” series is a fun and insightful way for your students to explore various life stages and roles. This assignment offers guides on topics like being a baby, a teenager, a parent, or navigating adulthood. Each guide blends practical advice with humor, providing a unique perspective on everyday challenges. This would be a great culminating assignment for the end of a course after students have learned about the subject they will be writing about.
Eat This Much: Macronutrients Dietary Scenario
Ever find yourself in need of an independent learning assignment for your students? If so, Eat This Much: Macronutrients Dietary Scenario may be something you find useful if you teach a food, nutrition, health and/or wellness class. The assignment is very flexible and can be assigned in person or virtually and be completed with either the website or APP.
Embroidering Clothes
I was thrilled when, during the pandemic, my daughter wanted to learn how to embroider! She wanted to learn how to make flowers. So we pulled out all of the supplies, drew some free hand flowers and proceeded. She quickly picked up the techniques and went on to embroider some beautiful masks and denim shirt pockets. This got me to thinking that with all of the upcycling and repurposing that is part of sustaining our earth, why not teach students the skill and art of Embroidering Clothes! Read on to learn more.
Make Your Own Series: Bread Crumbs & Croutons
I don’t know about you, but I love making my own bread crumbs and croutons in place of those that are conveniently made for us and sold at big box stores. Some reasons I like to make my own are they are generally cheaper, quantities needed can be easily adjusted based on the recipe, it can be made easily by students as part of a lab and then used in future labs and most importantly….I know exactly what is in the product! No weird, unpronounceable ingredients! So in this Make Your Own Series, I’ll be sharing products that can easily be made from scratch, using common ingredients. Sharing…Make Your Own Series: Bread Crumbs & Croutons.
43 Minute Lab Series: Baked French Toast
After noticing continuous requests for lab suggestions that are doable in 43 minute class periods, I’ve decided to do a recurring series, featuring recipes that can be completed from beginning to end in a 43 minute time frame. In some cases, longer recipes will broken into two day labs. In addition, I will include my pre-lab review questions that pertain specifically to the recipe. This helps to ensure that students are reading the recipe. It also allows me time to show any videos that may demonstrate the product or specific techniques. So, without further ado, I present the 43 Minute Lab Series: Baked French Toast!
Calculating Baby Costs
As I was going through some files, I came across an assignment I created that incorporated math skills for Calculating Baby Costs. Since the prices were a bit outdated, I decided to update it and share it with you. It can be a real eye-opener for students into the reality of what consumables cost for babies. Additionally, they see a real life example of where they will use and apply math skills in life!
Make Your Own Series: BISQUICK
I don’t know about you, but I love making my own mixes for products that are conveniently made for us and sold at big box stores. Some reasons I like to make
my own are they are generally cheaper, quantities needed can be easily adjusted based on the recipe, it can be made easily by students as part of a lab and then used in future labs and most importantly….I know exactly what is in the product! No weird, unpronounceable ingredients! So in this Make Your Own Series, I’ll be sharing products that can easily be made from scratch, using basic, common ingredients. In this Make Your Own Series: Bisquick is the first mix I’ll be sharing.
Nutrient Advertising Campaign
We’ve probably all experienced a time when we were teaching that a student said the topic was boring! If and/or when that happens, put your students in the drivers seat and let them be the “instructors” of the information you want them to learn. Let them see how challenging it can be to be the teacher or often the “entertainer” of pertinent information! This Nutrient Advertising Campaign assignment does just that! Students must put together a persuasive ad campaign for an assigned nutrient and share it with the class. You may find they like presenting this way and you can use it with other topics or they’ll stop complaining when you are teaching!
Air Fryer Lesson
Several years ago, I had extra money in my budget to purchase some air fryers for my classroom. While I incorporated labs using the air fryers as a method of food preparation, I never actually created a lesson around the small appliance. Fast forward or rewind to…a few months ago, I had an inquiry for an Air Fryer Lesson and that was all the incentive I needed to put my ideas into play. So, if you are in need of a little more information on the air fryer before letting your students prepare food in them, please read on!