Real World Math #1 - Recipe Poster Activity

Do students know how to read a recipe? Do students know how to double a recipe? Half a recipe? Is cooking incorporated into lessons with students in class? How many still have FACS in their school district? (20 questions is done, hehe!)

As a parent, I always am trying to have my kids in the kitchen with me. Don't get me wrong, there are many days that I am scrambling to get dinner on the table and I wish I had more time to include them. But I have been working on making sure each one has an opportunity to help in some form at least once a week. We read directions, follow the directions, measure dry and wet ingredients. Understanding what 1/3 or 1/2 cup looks like compared to 1 cup or in teaspoon form. Simple introductions to include math in our everyday lives. 

Cooking and baking are everyday things that students will at one point in their lives see if not do. Here is a great activity to help students learn how to apply math to an everyday math world situation. The activity can help them learn how to cut a recipe down for one or two people or bulk it up enough to feed a crowd. They won't even realize they are doing math! 

I was wanting to show my students that math was included in our everyday lives. Because as teachers, we always get the same question "When will I ever use this math when I get older?" Well,  I was trying to find ways to make sure they understood that math was all around them and would continue as they grew up. When I was teaching a 6th grade enrichment class, I was searching for an activity to incorporate fractions. I think fractions are the nemesis of all! Who agrees?

I ran across this idea from ABC Teach called Recipe Booklet Activity. I used the basis of this idea and instructions, but had my students make a poster size booklet. They LOVED finding the recipes, it sparked interest of their likes and dislikes. It was fun to hear them discuss about things they love or things they did not love so much. I had collected over the years many food magazines (I am a recipe hoarder, try new recipe obsessed!) and they had a lot of choices to choose from. If you do not have access, check out your local recycling center.

                 

*Students had to find 3 recipes that contained a whole number, 
a mixed number and a fraction. 

*When they found the the 3 recipes, they needed to decide which recipe 
would be halved, doubled and tripled. 

Then the fun began! They were able to decorate the poster any way they wanted, but had to include the recipe cut out from the magazine and the new converted recipe for each of the 3 recipes. Other than that, they could be as creative as they liked with their designs while following the rubric. I used the provided rubric above as a reference and created my own that fit the needs of my students. Feel free to use the provided one or create your own. 

For those looking to include activities into their home and/or class, check out Raddish Kids. I have become a member as a parent, and my kids LOVE following these recipes. They are detailed with pictures that help my daughter who is too young to read yet, but where her older brother can help read them too her. I only wish I would have ran across this website sooner. The neatest part is they include a section with lesson plans. Adaptable from pre-k to middle school! 
Check them out!

Happy Teaching!