Were happy to share one more successful cooking project from this year’s UO collaboration classrooms. We created a plan and scheduled it in preparation for our end of the year “classroom party.”
First, we started by asked the children what they would like to cook and eat for our end of the year party, and they voted for “tacos”. Teachers began working together to create a lesson plan and submitted to the Food Services Manager for approval. We asked the children what they would like to have on their tacos and teachers created a list of additional toppings. As part of the plan, we got the ingredients, and the children mixed Masa, salt, and water to shape their dough round. Teachers helped assist while student pressed their own tortillas flat with a tortilla press. Once tortillas were ready to cook, we prepared the tortillas on a flat top grill. The children loved creating their own tortillas and had fun adding the toppings for a wonderful lunchtime project.
Our taco cooking project also gave our class the opportunity to explore more of our outside green space. Teachers created an outside play area with a focus on “farm to table” concepts. We planted seeds with the children and created a place to have a “food truck”. Children used our imaginations to serve tacos and other yummy foods. The class continued food conversations around “Go / Who” foods. Children planted seeds and talked about what food we could grow that we would also enjoy eating. We read lots of books like: Round is a tortilla, Pete the cat’s taco Tuesday, and Dragon’s love tacos were some class favorites. We practiced making our own tortillas with playdough. We practiced washing vegetables and how to prepare food to eat while playing in the sensory tubs and enjoying our green space.
Then when the date drew near, we shared the “taco part,” plan with our parents. Everyone enjoyed this project, it’s easy to see in the pictures and many smiles. 🙂