Food-Related Teaching Ideas for Young Children Many of these activities can be scaled to fit different stages of Bloom’s Taxonomy, depending on the cognitive abilities of students. • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
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“Dissect” a food Have a utensil or food petting zoo Add movement – dance, pantomime, yoga poses Grow plants Make art using food or cooking equipment Make Show & Tell food themed Imaginative play – farmer’s market, grocery store, farm, kitchen Tastings – use a score card (have pre-literate students circle smiley or frowny faces) Use PowerPoint on a computer or tablet to make “flashcards” Introduce new food related vocabulary, even if you think it is above students’ heads (we love the word jussulent) Include food-related games at circle time (example: never-have-I-ever tasted that, etc.) Create sensory boxes Make smelling bottles Promote sensory learning through bins, trays, bags and stations Take food-related field trips Invite guests for food related in-house field trips Use a felt board Watch Youtube videos Ask The 3 Whys: What is it? Where did it come from? What is it used for? Create new lyrics to familiar songs o (To tune of “This Is The Way” This is the way we wash our hands, wash our hands; this is the way we wash our hands when we get ready to cook”) Create a cooking protocol (steps for preparing to cook that all students recall and enact) Read picture books Include food/gardening in birthday celebrations Document with photos or video Compost Create a worm farm Have a class “pet” plant that goes home with students (a chia pet!) Eat in the garden – “farm dinner” concept Include learning about food in holiday celebrations Raise seedlings Cultivate a cutting Grow plants and give them away (senior living home) Create kids cooking kits for kids to borrow and take home Recycle and upcycle Of course, cook!
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