Teaching Strategies
Chemistry in cooking can serve many objectives and uses cross curricular standards. Students will be exposed to learning the chemistry behind the cooking ingredients and will be able to identify whether it is a physical change or chemical change. Students will learn basic facts about carbohydrates, fats and proteins using a pictural chart. Cooking is a life skill and for students to live a healthy lifestyle, this unit will allow students to understand basic ingredient information. Students with an IEP, Individualized Educational Plan, will have accommodations and modifications added into their lessons. A life skills class is normally perceived as a class that needs one-to-one aides and performs only with hand over hand assistance. However, despite their disability, all students can learn. Cooking is a hands-on learning, which allows students to move, see and do all at the same time. Visual cue cards will be used for non-verbal students to follow.
Field trips are short and exciting for students. The students’ background knowledge of their surrounding area will enhance engagement. The vegetation around their area mostly consists of cedar, pine and juniper trees. Trees are used as firewood, for ceremonial practices and for cooking. A visual chart characterizing each tree will be made so students can see which tree is used in cooking blue corn mush. Another field trip will be to a Native Cultural Center. Here, the students will get a tour of tools used by early Native Americans for hunting and cooking. The Cultural Center we are visiting does have a metate, which is used in Navajo ceremonies and for cooking preparations. One Navajo ceremony where metate is primarily used is the Welcome to Womanhood. The female is required to grind corn for several hours, while fully traditionally dressed. This builds strength and respect for all that she will feed. A member of the Cultural Center will speak to the class about tools used for cooking.
One Dine standard we will work on is showing appreciation in our Navajo language and our customary practices. One short story about corn is written in the Navajo language and will be read out loud to the class. Navajo vocabulary words will be charted for students to see and say, such as the word Juniper. The Navajo word is Gad.[8] Our school is one of the few schools that incorporates Dine Standards, classes still taught at our high school are: Navajo Language I and II and Native Arts and Crafts. One time a week during the school year, the Multi-cultural club holds a pageant. Each school building has several contestants perform to become the next crowned Mr. or Miss Elementary, Middle School and High School. The schools participate in a Native Spirit Week also.
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