My students need a small kitchen set up in the classroom so that they can participate in hands-on activities that not only reinforce math and science concepts but also support health and nutrition.
I love the energy and resilience my students bring to my middle school Special Day Class every day. School can be challenging for students in special education, especially when they reach adolescence and the need for social acceptance is greatest. My students worry that the other kids may think that they are "stupid" because they are in my class and this shame and embarrassment definitely affects their willingness to accept challenges, take risks, and develop strategies for learning new information and skills.
I want my students to be proud of themselves and take pride in their classroom community.
Providing as many engaging hands-on learning activities as possible will help my students develop self- confidence and help them build upon their strengths instead of focusing on their deficits. This will hopefully set the stage for success as they enter high school, and then college.
My Project
My students love hands on projects and also love to eat! Instead of eating junk food from the corner store, I would like my students to learn to make healthy choices. I want to set up a small kitchen area in my classroom. I have already collected a toaster oven, baking pans, measuring utensils, containers, etc. I still need a small refrigerator and a blender.
I plan to incorporate small cooking activities into my Math, Science, and Life Skills classes.
In Math, we can practice measurement and fractions; in Science, we can learn about chemical and physical changes; in Life Skills, we can learn about the importance of eating healthy, shopping, budgeting, etc.
(Also, fresh fruit is provided throughout the day at our school, but much of it is thrown away. I would love to make fruit smoothies a few times a week for student breakfasts, which is always served in the classroom. This would be healthy and delicious and would also prevent waste!)
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