Carol P. Boynton
This curriculum unit for first- and second-graders is designed to reach the developing scientists through a very common experience - eating the food we prepare! The focus will be learning and practicing the scientific method, a strategy that young students will need for their future science classes and experiences. The instruction will begin with some introductory lessons on the basic units of measure and some hands-on experiences and then moves into learning the steps of the scientific method. The students will practice these steps with recipes for trail mix, granola bars, fruit salad, scrambled eggs and other foods they enjoy. Cooking is perfect for these young learners! For students of this age, seeing is believing and touching is knowing and understanding.
Science should be fun and interesting and should offer experiences that get students thinking critically. Using the scientific method is a fundamental way for this to happen. By performing experiments and analyzing the data, students are learning to become creative thinkers. Understanding how to define a problem, observe situations, take notes, synthesize the results, and come to a logical conclusion based on objective results will help students not only as scientists, but as learners in all areas.
(Developed for Science, grade 1; recommended for Science, grades 1-2)
