LESSON 4: The Great Worldwide Corn Recipe Exchange

SUBJECT: Multidisciplinary

OBJECTIVE: Students will use CORN recipes as a way to improve reading skills, math or measuring skills, and social skills. They will try corn recipes from other countries. They will use the Internet for a recipe exchange with other schools.

MEASUREMENT: Students will learn that corn is a very versatile ingredient, and can be used in many, many recipes!

BACKGROUND FOR TEACHERS:

Everyone, young and old, has a favorite recipe, and because corn is the ingredient in so many products (See Unit 9, Lesson 1 for a list of corn products), it will be easy to find favorite recipes made from corn!

STUDENT ACTIVITIES:

1. Ask students to read the story David Makes Cupcakes. David is only six years old, but is already learning to cook. Ask students if they like to cook, and what kinds of things they like to make.

2. Tell students you're going to create a CORN COOKING CLUB in your school, and they're invited to join. Set up a schedule for every student to bring their favorite recipe to share with the class. Then set aside special times when club members can meet to cook (and eat) their recipes!

• Remind students that the only rule for club membership is that the recipes must have an ingredient made from corn. It's likely they'll think of corn only as a vegetable, so remind them that corn is also the ingredient in many, many products made from corn sugars, cornstarches, or corn oils. (See Unit 9, Lesson 1.)

• The CORN COOKING CLUB is an opportunity for students to work together. They might like to create a club logo, mission statement, or theme song. They might want to make posters, invitations, or a recipe book. (They could even print and sell copies of the recipe book!)

3. Tell students they can click here for recipes to try.

• Note that there are recipes for bubbles and playdough, as well as a more traditional corn vegetable recipe! The bubbles are made from corn syrup and the playdough includes corn oil. There are also a couple of recipes from other countries that use corn or corn products!

4. They can click here to add their favorite recipes. Always include the name of your school!

Last reviewed May 7, 2004