In order to help parents reinforce ideas learned in school and in tutoring, Academics Plus, Inc. is offering a Lesson series on our blog that demonstrates basic concepts using items you can find around the house.
Math Recipes :
Some basic addition, subtraction, and fraction skills can be learned/reinforced/practiced using simple recipes at home. Getting your child involved in cooking at home is a great way to spend time together. Take, for example, this simple banana bread recipe from Allrecpies.com:
Ingredients:
– 2 cups all-purpose flour
– 1 teaspoon baking soda
– 1/4 teaspoon salt
– 1/2 cup butter
– 3/4 cup brown sugar
– 2 eggs, beaten
– 2 1/3 cups mashed overripe bananas
Math Concepts Ingredients:
– Measurement tape or a long ruler
– Paper and pencil
The directions below are re-written to explain math concepts to children as you work through the baking process.
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Depending on the skill level of the child, this may be a good place for you to ask them to convert 350 degrees F to Celsius. You can figure out how using this website. Lightly grease a 9×5 inch loaf pan. Explain to the child how you know when a pan is 9×5 using measurement tape or a long ruler.
2. In a large bowl, combine flour, baking soda and salt. Have the children measure out the ingredients themselves if possible. Or, after all the items are combined, have them write out the amounts onto a piece of paper and add all of them together to find out how many teaspoons and cups are in the first bowl.
3. In a separate bowl, cream together butter and brown sugar using the suggestions from step two.
4. Break the eggs into a measuring cup and have your child check the liquid measurement. Empty the contents into a wet bowl. Place the bananas into the measuring cup and mash them. Have your child write down the amount, in cups, of mashed bananas. Add the bananas to the wet bowl and stir them together with the eggs until well blended. Have your child add the measurements that were written down and find the total number of cups and teaspoon ingredients in the first bowl.
5. Stir banana mixture into flour mixture; stir just to moisten. Have your child add the total amount of all the ingredients together on the piece of paper to practice addition. Pour batter into a prepared loaf pan.
6. Bake in preheated oven for 60 to 65 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into center of the loaf comes out clean. Let bread cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack. Depending on the skill level of the child, you can have them add the number of minutes and convert them into hours and minutes.
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From this recipe you can see how simple cooking can turn into an activity where addition, subtraction, fractions, and measurement can be reinforced and practiced. Try it yourself with family recipes!
Reader Question: What are your favorite recipes and how have you turned them into learning methods?
