Kindergarteners got a cooking lesson
Everyone knows that there are different types of writing that students learn in school — descriptive, analytical, persuasive, narrative, etc. These days, those writing lessons start as early as kindergarten, although they come with different names at that early age.
For instance, there is ‘How to” writing — called procedural at an older age.
One day not too long ago, kindergartners were working on that skill. On another school day right around that time, a group of kindergartners were spotted watching their ‘lunch ladies’ make pizza for lunch.
An idea was born.
“While the kindergartners were working on “How-to” writing in their Writing Workshop, we wanted them to have a real life experience to write about,” FMES Principal Rachel Adelstein said this week.
“Some students were watching me make some pizzas one Friday, and Mrs. Adelstein asked them if they were doing a cooking lesson,” Food Service Manager Kathy Coakley said, “and, at that moment, I agreed that it would be fun to teach a class. Mrs. Adelstein came up with a plan to make it happen!”
Coakley worked with the kindergarten teachers to create a schedule that worked for everyone to do a “make your own pizza” class.
“In order to keep the students spaced out and safe, we worked with one class at a time, on February 8, 9 & 10 — this worked out perfectly since February 9th was National Pizza day,” Coakley said.
Everyone involved agrees that the students did an amazing job on their pizzas!
Coakley explains the process. “My staff (Maria Britton and Irma Rodriguez) prepared individual portions of cheese and sauce for each student — I placed all the materials at each spot at the tables — complete with utensils, gloves and cooking sheets. With the assistance of the teachers and classroom aides, I then walked the students through the steps to make their own pizza — including offering fresh vegetables and/or pepperoni as toppings if they wanted.”
Once the pizzas were made, students went back to their classrooms and “co-authored a book about how to make a pizza,” Adelstein said. “While the students were writing, the pizzas were cooked, individually boxed up, and delivered to each classroom along with apple slices, baby carrots and milk. Some students ate their pizzas for lunch, others for a snack, and some even took theirs home (one student even made one to take home for their mom’s birthday!)
As for how the pies turned out … “Each pizza was unique,” Coakley says. “Some students chose to put toppings on theirs, some didn’t want sauce on theirs, others made theirs with no cheese! One student even made a heart shaped pizza. They all came out great!”
The only question left to be asked of Coakley and Adelstein is did everyone have a good time?
“I loved the activity,” Coakley said. “It was wonderful to actually see the students in the cafeteria again — due to COVID, they have been having their lunches delivered to the classrooms, so the lunch staff is still not interacting with most students individually each day.”
And from the principal: “The kids had a blast! The pizzas were delicious and the activity was memorable!”
Coakley notes that this was the first time she and her staff had done anything like this, and says she hopes to do it again, with other grades of students too.
