Here's a multi-discipline school assignment that you can eat.
The Icon writer had a hankering for cookies and decided to see how many disciplines baking them involves. The following column demonstrates the result, wondering how public school students might use this exercise at home.
Disciplines used
Reading, writing, mathematics, geography, music appreciation, home economics, chemistry, art, critical thinking, foreign language, physical education and study hall. Perhaps there are others we’ve not considered.
The problem
(scientific method)
Realizing half-and-half no longer exists in the ‘frig, and knowing Fred loves the Arabic roasted bean as camel-colored instead of anthracite-colored, what solutions can you propose for Fred, while using a multi-educational approach?
The solution
Bake butterscotch cookies to dunk in the coffee.
Learning to follow directions using home economics, math, critical thinking, art, music and geography
• Move baking rack to center of oven
• Warm oven to 325 degrees
Music appreciation
Select a devise to play music during your baking. Fred listens to jazz and some classical music. You may select your own music. We suggest to branch out and try something completely different, thus expanding your music appreciation.
Baking supplies needed
1 loose (not packed) cup of brown sugar
1 stick of butter – melted (or margarine)
1 egg
1 ½ cups flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons cream of tartar
Mix butter, vanilla and eggs separate from dry ingredients. Finally mix all ingredients together either by hand or with a mixture (Critical thinking involved – which will you use?)
Place in refrigerator for 15 minutes.
(Note: regular recipe calls for 1 cup of white sugar and 1 additional stick of butter. We’ve omitted these in this recipe)
Use two cookie sheets. Spray both with oil.
Remove a portion of the dough from refrigerator. Roll it into a 12-inch by 2-inch shape.
With a knife, cut off pieces in one-half inch increments. The cut pieces will resemble circles.
Art, Math and Geography
• As you cut pieces of dough onto the first cookie sheet, create each one into a different U.S. state and place on the cookie sheet.
• On the second sheet, cut the dough and create as many geometric shapes possible.
• Place the cookies in the oven. You should have one additional roll of dough. Either cut it into other shapes (for example, letters of the alphabet, animals, body parts, chess pieces, clothing, trees, insects) or place in a bag and freeze it to bake later.
Physical education
• Bake cookie for 8 to 12 minutes. During this time, put a leash on your dog and walk it around the block in a fast clip.
Chemistry
Look up scientific names for:
• Anthracite coal
• Salt
• Baking soda
• Cream of tartar
• What’s the difference between anthracite coal and the type of coal beginning with the letter “B”?)
More Home Economics
• What does brown sugar consist of?
• What’s the difference between butter and margarine?
• What is the food value in eggs?
• What is flour?
Foreign language
Find the Latin, Spanish or another language name for: Sugar
(You may translate any number of words used in this assignment)
Writing assignment
• What happened to the well-designed cookie shapes when they came out of the oven?
• What would you do differently the next time you bake this recipe?
• Taste your cookies and write about the flavors your experience.
• Observe how many people enter the kitchen and inquire about having cookie. Write about your response.
Math
• How many cookies did you eat in one sitting and how many remain?
Extra credit
• Write a poem about your experience using haiku. Send it to the Icon for possible publication at [email protected]
