Rattle Those Pots and Pans: Classroom Cooking Activities Incorporating Technology and Literacy

Rattle Those Pots and Pans:Classroom Cooking Activities Incorporating Technology and Literacy Holly Cooper, Ph.D. Pat Van Geem hollycooper@tsbvi.edupatvangeem@tsbvi.edu Outreach Assistive Technology Consultants Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired

Benefits of cooking activities Cooking is a motivating activity for many people. Cooking provides experiences with: • Aromas • Colors • Textures • Shapes • Temperatures • Weights

Benefits of cooking activities Cooking is • A pleasant way to spend time with others or alone • A channel for activity: stirring, pouring, cleaning up

Benefits of cooking activities • Students who do not like to eat may enjoy food preparation and tasting • Students who are tube fed can experience food in a fun, non-threatening way

Benefits of cooking activities Cooking is age appropriate for a variety of students Very young children can pour, stir, spread, taste, touch and smell

Benefits of cooking activities Cooking is beneficial for elementary school students They can cook simple meals or special treats for an instructional activity

Benefits of cooking activities Cooking is beneficial for secondary aged students who can • Participate in home economics in an inclusion setting • Participate in vocational or life skills training

Benefits of cooking activities Cooking is a good activity in which to use technology Almost any student can participate with support

Benefits of cooking activities Cooking is a good activity in which to use media modifications for: • Print readers • Braille readers • Tactile symbol users • Picture symbol users

Benefits of cooking activities Cooking is a good way to teach communication skills in a functional context: • Requesting • Responding • Turn taking • Responding to novel situations or surprises

Benefits of cooking activities Cooking is a good way to include peers as a helper or as a participant

Benefits of cooking activities Cooking is a good way to teach academic skills in a functional context: • Reading • Math • Science • Geography

Benefits of cooking activities Cooking is a crucial part of the Expanded Core Curriculum See the RECC at http://www.tsbvi.edu/recc/index.htm

Benefits of cooking activities Cooking is a multi-sensory activity that can address a variety of learning domains (See infused skills checklist)

Getting Ready Find a good location in the room or school • In a kitchen or kitchen area • Near a water source • Near a power source • In a location where snacks or meals are served

Getting Ready Suggested tools if you don’t have a kitchen: (any or all) • Small fridge • Microwave • Blender • Toaster oven • Hot plate • Hot pot or rice cooker

Planning the Activity What tools and appliances will be used? • Make sure you have everything assembled • Or plan for where the students must go to get them in natural but accessible locations

Planning the Activity Plan with the students: • Choose the food or recipe together • Talk about the ingredients, review vocabulary and “sight” words • Talk about what tools ingredients will be used, and where you find them

Planning the Activity What modifications are needed? Prepare: • Photographs • Braille • Print • Tactile symbols • Communication overlays • Recipes

Planning the Activity Shopping: Can this become part of the activity? • Make grocery lists • Plan for transportation • Count money • Look for advertisements (prices)

Planning the Activity Money • Donations of money or ingredients from parents • Sell your product to raise money: popcorn, cookies, dog biscuits

Doing It • Wash hands and food surfaces • Beware of the good fairy syndrome • Minimize prompting • Maximize communication opportunities • Clean up is part of the activity

Reviewing It Talk about the activity afterwards • Conversations help review the spoken or signed vocabulary • Write an Experience Story, it helps review print, braille or tactile symbols

Reviewing It Experience story: • Collect “artifacts” during the activity: photos, packages, etc • Talk about the steps involved in fixing the food • Talk about who did which steps • Talk about who liked the taste • Write it in accessible format • Share it with peers, parents

Alternative Food Experiences For students who are tube fed, have trouble eating or find food aversive: • Encourage these students to touch, smell and taste (if allowed) • Guide students gently to put their hands in doughs or batters

Alternative Food Experiences For students who are tube fed, have trouble eating or find food aversive: • Make smoothies using yogurt, ice cream or fruit juice as a base • Experiment with frozen treats • Make healthy sweet snacks such as apple sauce • Avoid temperature extremes (except some students love ice cream and frozen treats)

Repetition is not only O.K. it’s good educational programming Cook often and have fun!

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Rattle Those Pots and Pans: Classroom Cooking Activities Incorporating Technology and Literacy