top of page
Food for Thought
A Kindergarten Social Studies Integrative Unit
Created by Jessica Custer-Bindel
Day 1:
Small Potatoes
Staple foods make up the dominant part of a population's diet and supply a major part of people's nutritional needs.
Food staples vary from place to place, depending on the food sources available. By exploring food around the world, we look at geography and the origins of everyday foods and exotic foods, and learn how through successful farming, we are able to plant foreign foods on local soil. We culminate the lesson by cooking locally sourced roasted Fingerlake potatoes!
Click here for the lesson plan.
Day 2:
Bento Boxes and Onigiri
Many traditional foods from different countries have become foods that we eat in the United States. In this kindergarten lesson plan from the Food Around the World Unit, students learn about foods around the world, about food groups using "My Pyramid", and how geography affects food consumption. Students will also be introduced to the concept of staple foods around the world ane make delicious onigiri!
Click here for the lesson plan.
Day 3:
Bonjour. Mornings in Paris
Breakfast provides us with a healthy start of the day. This lesson takes a look at the different foods people eat around the world for breakfast. Australians apparently prefer a brown spread called Vegemite on their toast in the morning; the Japanese enjoy soy beans on rice; the Moroccans like lamb stew; and Argentineans frequently sip Yerba Mate–a delicious, highly caffeinated tea. As we learn about foods around the world, we explore them through our senses, and work on sequencing through the re-assembling of our crepe recipe! Of course, then we will have to make and eat it.
Click here for the lesson plan.
Day 4:
Chapati. Learning about bread around the world
Bread is a staple of life, and many children eat it every day. People all around the eat bread, but many breads around the world have different flavors and textures. Through this lesson, we will explore different ways of making and eating bread, and discover breads and countries they originate from. The lesson culminates with a chapati cooking class.
Click here for the lesson plan.
Day 5:
Celebrating with food
As we wrap up this unit, we are more mindful of food, and how it is indelibly tied to culture. We have learned about how different food is grown around the world, and that people's preparation, presentation, eating habits, and ways of eating differs around the world. This last lessons focuses on food as celebration. Food is valuable, and is often shared during times of celebration. Here, we will look at how Ethiopian New Year is celebrated, and the kinds and ways Ethiopian food is shared. The lesson ends with an Ethiopian cook-off!
Click here for the lesson plan.
bottom of page