Food is Elementary
The objectives of this semester are to:
1. Cook with the children;
2. Illustrate the great variety of highly nutritious legumes which are used in unique ways in different cultures; and
3. Acquaint the children with commodity-based recipes which can be served as entrees in the school meals program.
It is essential that the children cook with assistance from the teacher and/or parents. The educational impact is lost if adults prepare the food. The curriculum is designed to employ each of the five senses in every unit. Children participating in the curriculum learn most effectively when all of their senses are engaged. In each unit, the children prepare one entree while they discuss traditional accompaniments and the history of the dish. Suggestions for side dishes are included in each lesson plan. The children eat the entrees prepared in class, and recipes are sent home to be prepared with their families. Most of the legumes used in this set of units are commodity foods available free to schools through the USDA Commodity Food Program. For each recipe, students are asked to locate the appropriate position of recipe ingredients on a blank food pyramid.
All units include:
• Locating the various countries on a large map in the classroom and on individual maps in the journals
• Listening to music from the culture (when possible) while the children eat
• Dancing to music from the culture (if desired) for exercise
• Information and artifacts (when possible) from the cultures
• Recipes which are sent home with the children in a weekly newsletter
.
1. Africa and American South -- Black-eyed peas and greens -- Soul Stew
Ideally, this unit is taught in January to honor Dr. Martin Luther King. The children learn about the history of soul food and how African Americans blended foods from Africa (Okra, black-eyed peas) with foods from the American South and Native Americans to develop a creative cuisine. Dr. King's life and the civil rights movement are discussed. Students listen to soul music, and discuss the development of this cuisine within the American culture.
2. North Africa -- Couscous with Chick Peas
The children learn about the countries in North Africa where couscous is a staple. They make an African stew with chick peas and vegetables, and they make harissa, a spicy sauce to serve on the side. Students learn how couscous is traditionally eaten by hand after the hands have been washed and rinsed with rose or orange water. The children wash their hands and rinse them with rose water to eat in this manner.
3. Egypt -- Barley and Peas
The children learn about traditional foods from ancient Egypt where barley and wheat were the primary staples. They cook an entree which contains foods from ancient Egypt: barley, leeks, dill, peas, and artichokes. Students learn about the Egyptian pyramids and why the USDA foods pyramid was designed using the ancient pyramids as a model.
4. Japan – Vegetable Sushi
The children learn about artistic presentation of food by making sushi. They use brown rice, nori seaweed and vegetables to prepare sushi. Cooking activities include steaming of the rice and assembling the sushi.
5. China -- Mung Bean Sprouts, Soy Sauce & Tofu Stir-Fry
The children learn about cooking in a wok or stir-frying as an energy efficient way to cook. They learn that beans can be sprouted, and they sample raw bean sprouts. The stir fry also contains soy sauce and tofu which are derived from soy beans. Students discuss how these products are made from the versatile soy bean.
6. India -- Dhal and Curry -- Red Sentils
The children see variety of color and taste in the lentil family of legumes beginning with the red lentils used in this recipe. They learn about the use of spices to flavor recipes, and they grind spices together to create curry powder. Students observe that red lentils turn brown when they are cooked. The children learn that dhal (thick cooked beans with spices) is traditionally served with curried vegetables, rice, chutney (fruit preserves with ginger and sometimes vinegar), and chapattis (pita-like flat bread).
7. Middle East -- Lentil Soup and Salad
The children make a soup with brown lentils, carrots, celery, parsley and spices. They learn that bean soup is very economical to make and nourishing to eat. Students also prepare a cold, marinated, Mid-Eastern salad which includes lentils, parsley, onions, and spices. They compare and contrast the hot and cold entrees prepared from essentially the same ingredients, and they discuss other ways to prepare lentils.
8. Latin America -- Brazilian Black Beans
The children prepare a hot Brazilian black bean dish which also includes vegetables and spices. They learn about the spices commonly used in Brazil. By pounding them in a mortar with a pestle, students also learn about the Portuguese, West African, and Indian influences on Brazilian cuisine and culture. Brazil is unique in South America by having a complex cuisine which has been influenced by distant cultures with which the country had trade relations.
9. Mexico -- Frijoles and Tortillas
The children learn that frijoles (pinto beans) when combined with a whole grain such as corn or brown rice forms a complete protein. This important nutritional combination has sustained Latino cultures for centuries. Through this combination, Latinos have obtained all of the essential amino acids in one meal. Chopped avocado, tomatoes, onions, cilantro, and lettuce are served as accompaniments to the combination of frijoles and multi-grain tortilla chips.
10. France -- French Beans
The children make a salad with French beans as a base. They learn that a bean-based salad can be very filling and nourishing. Children compare different types of potatoes and learn characteristics of different varieties. Students also make a traditional vinaigrette salad dressing with tarragon, shallots, and Dijon mustard. The salad is served with whole grain French bread or French peasant Bread.
11. Italy -- Pasta Fagioli with White Kidney Beans
The children learn how to make a one-pot meal combining beans, greens and pasta. Any pasta can be used, but multi-colored spirals are recommended for this unit. (Spirals are available through the USDA commodity program.) Students will flavor this dish with tomatoes and fresh basil which are two important ingredients used in many Italian recipes. They learn how tomatoes from South America and basil from India become vital to Italian cuisine even though they were not indigenous.
12. Caribbean - Red Carlotta Beans and Rice
The children learn about foods from the Caribbean. In traditional Caribbean cuisine, the combination of beans and rice provides all of the essential amino acids in one meal. The children learn about island cultures and many of the outside influences on the Caribbean cuisine. Identifying the islands where red beans and rice is a popular entree enables the students to learn the geography of a part of the world new to many of them.
13. Native American -- Three Sister's Casserole
The children learn about the three sisters in Native American cuisine -- corn, beans, and squash. By drawing a diagram or, if possible, actually planting the three types of seeds together, students learn how the foods were traditionally planted together and how they complement each other nutritionally. The folklore of Native American Indians includes many stories about the three sisters personified as flint corn (larger and whiter than common corn in the U.S. today), beans, and squash. Students prepare an Iroquois version of the Three Sister's Casserole which includes corn, kidney beans, butternut squash, and maple syrup.
14. USA -- Soybeans (originally from China) Made into Soy Burgers
The children learn some of the history of the soybean and why it is so important nutritionally as a source of protein, vitamins, and minerals. Soy beans are the most nutritious legume. Students also learn that in the U.S.A. soybeans are primarily grown a feed for livestock, and why this practice is inefficient in terms of land use and hunger. They learn how the versatile soybean is made into many different products. They prepare soy burgers as a delicious alternative to hamburgers.
