Students work in the ESY kitchen to bake a delicious treat of pear and apple crisp. Students recognize that this is their last garden after school class. They reflect on their time and share out a highlight from their time here. They also share plans for the Thanksgiving...
Spring Salad
Published July 3, 2012
Subject: Social Studies
Season: Spring
Place of Learning: Kitchen Classroom
Resource Type: Lessons
Grade Level: Grade 6
Uploaded by:
Kyle Cornforth Program Affiliations:
In this 6th grade humanities lesson, students prepare a spring salad with vegetables harvested from the garden.
Objectives
After this lesson, students will be able to:
- Practice basic knife skills while demonstrating correct knife safety and care
- Read and follow the recipe, and understand that some recipes are flexible and some are specific
- Recognize that there is a relationship between the kitchen and the garden
- Practice tasting the results of the recipe
Assessments
During this lesson, students will:
- Cut a variety of vegetables
- Follow the recipe to completion
- Articulate the seed to table concept
- Adjust flavors in the salad dressing
Materials
For the Chef Meeting
- Basic Salad Dressing recipe
- Ingredients and tools for demonstration
- Visual aid
Ingredients
For the Salad
Seasonal vegetables, such as:
- Radish
- Beet
- Lettuces
- Fennel
- Parsley
- Carrots
- Celery
- Snap Peas
For the Salad Dressing
- Assorted vinegars
- Olive oil
- Salt
- Pepper
- Green garlic
- Fresh herbs (optional)
- Mustard (optional)
- Shallot (optional)
- Honey (optional)
Tools
- Salad spinner
- Salad bowl
- Vegetable peeler
- Mortar and pestle
- Whisk
- Chefs’ Knives
- Paring Knives
- Cutting boards
- Measuring beaker
- Measuring spoons
Before You Begin
- Harvest the vegetables from the garden
- Collect all the tools and ingredients, and then distribute them to the tables
- Gather supplies for the Chef Meeting
- Create the visual aid
- Copy the Basic Salad Dressing recipe to hand out
Procedures
At the Chef Meeting
- Welcome students and introduce spring salad as an opportunity to eat food harvested straight from our garden.
- Review the seed to table cycle. Choose one ingredient harvested from the garden and trace its steps through propagation, transplanting, and harvesting.
- Discuss the difference between a recipe that is precise and a recipe that is flexible. Encourage students to taste different vinegars, and to notice their sweet and tart flavors before deciding which to use.
- Explain the process of emulsifying by gradually whisking the olive oil into the vinegar.
- Review the cutting techniques for each salad ingredient.
- Ask students to wash their hands and join their table group.
At the Table
- Meet with the table groups to review the recipe and assign jobs.
- Prepare the recipe.
- Set the table; eat; clean up.
At the Closing Circle
Have each student describe their favorite salad ingredient using sensory vocabulary words.
Vocabulary
Connections to Standards
Edible Schoolyard In the Kitchen, Tools, Grade 6
6.3 Students practice basic knife skills while demonstrating proper knife safety and care.
Edible Schoolyard In the Kitchen, Recipes and Ingredients Grade 6
6.1 Students read and follow recipes, and understand that some recipes are flexible and some are specific.
6.3 Students practice tasting the results of the recipe.
Contributors
All lessons at the Edible Schoolyard Berkeley are a collaboration between the teachers and staff of the Edible Schoolyard and Martin Luther King Jr. Middle School.
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