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Cooking and Baking to Strengthen Problem Solving

Tags

Mathematics ^21st Century Skills ^Extra-curricular/At-Home Elementary School Strategy

Skills

Flexible Thinking Self-regulation Organization Working Memory Abstract Reasoning

Cooking and Baking to Strengthen Problem Solving

If your student needs help with planning, organization and/or practice with measurement and fractions

Teach It!

  1. Objective: Students will improve their planning, organization and/or early measurement and fraction skills.
  2. Instruction and Practice: Following a recipe with your child is an enjoyable activity to practice math, problem solving and following directions. Follow the guide on the next slide to help your child with planning, organization and/or practice with measurement and fractions.

Parent Guide: Recipes And Math

  1. Choose a favorite recipe that is appropriate for your child's age, ability and interests.
  2. Recipes can provide math practice with measurement, estimating, metric conversions and multiplying and dividing fractions (when halving or doubling the recipe).
  3. Cooking provides good practice following step wise directions. You may ask your child to check off each step or ingredient as it is used.
  4. Help your child figure out what to do when an ingredient is unavailable or undesirable to practice adjusting to unanticipated circumstances.

Why It Works (the Science Of Learning)!

Following a recipe provides great practice with working memory, flexible thinking and important math skills. While cooking with recipes involves step-by-step directions, the process of cooking also requires a fluidity in thinking that challenges flexible thinking and problem solving skills. Because children enjoy cooking and being able to enjoy a tasty result, this activity is so motivating.