SCIENCES
ECONOMICS
SCIENCES
High school chemistry is another natural fit for culinary arts integration since cooking and baking primarily consist of manipulating and controlling a wide range of chemical reactions . We recommend chef Alton Brown ’ s “ Food Science ” videos as an excellent starting point . For example , the chemical components of bread recipes ( both yeast breads and quick breads ) can be effectively turned into a study of chemical reactions . Additionally , the chemistry students on our campus have tested the chemical makeup and results of various cookie recipes . Certainly , a memorable and tasty learning experience !
Of course , the study of plants in biology courses make for an excellent school garden opportunity . Students can research the appropriate plants for their climate , grow food and make dishes to share with their classmates . If outdoor space is limited , indoor aquaponics systems can grow a wide variety of edible plants .
Physics courses can also incorporate the culinary arts by focusing on how food is made , such as studying the properties of heat used in cooking . An example physics activity could be for students to invent kitchen gadgets and use their creation to make a dish for the class to enjoy .
ECONOMICS
Even the economics classes on our campus enjoy culinary arts integration . For their senior project , students are required to create a small business plan and proposal . Many students choose restaurants as their small businesses and make sample foods for their shops to sell . Some previous projects include bakeries , coffee shops , ice cream shops , tea shops , and pizza shops . Again , we ’ ve found that student engagement and content retention is high for these projects .
Although these examples focus on the secondary level , they could , of
The Ice Cream Shop course , be adapted to the lower grades . Ultimately , we have found that culinary arts integration is a fun and engaging project-based learning activity that can be incorporated into any grade level or field of study for greater content retention . For further information and more classroom ideas , check out our Edutopia guest blog .
High-school English teacher and author , Sarah Henderson , combines recent research from the cognitive sciences with 19 years of teaching experience to offer practical insights into how the brain learns . This recent graduate of the Johns Hopkins University , Mind , Brain and Teaching graduate certificate program is excited to help fellow teachers apply research from the cognitive and neurosciences in their classrooms . Recent publications include Edutopia articles on humor in the classroom and culinary arts integration . Her current research involves the advantages of arts integration for struggling students .
Lori Holm has taught students from preschool through college & loves learning at any age ( hers and theirs )! She currently teaches high school culinary arts & religion courses at Loma Linda Academy in Southern California . Previous positions include resource coordinator and peer leadership coordinator . Lori and her husband of 30 years share a love for their three daughters , two granddaughters and the LA Dodgers . She is passionate about food , cooking and encouraging others to use food as a learning and relationship-building tool .
STEAMed Magazine
42
January 2016 Edition