Changes to the Environment

Thematic Unit Topic: Cooking

Classroom Area: Outdoors

List the Items You Plan to Introduce and How Much They Will Cost (a minimum of 6):
Remember:
The items should be safe, child-directed, encourage the use of multiple intelligences and provide
opportunities for sensory learning).
The items should be reasonably priced, able to be made by the teacher or easily obtainable.
Try to use objects that are already in the classroom in creative, new ways.
Think about what items you might obtain through donations from family, local business, etc.

1. Colander-Dollar Store ($1)
2. Measuring Cups-Dollar Store ($1)
3. Pots of Water-Brought From Home- (Free)
4. Spoons-Dollar Store ($1)
5. Grill made out of cardboard-Handmade from donated boxes (Free)
6. Cookie Cutters (Plastic) - Dollar Store ($1)
7. Water Bottles (Empty)-Donated or Brought form Home (Free)
8. Funnel-Dollar Store ($1)
When will you introduce these items? (At the beginning of the thematic unit, throughout the unit
during a small group lesson plan, circle time)
Most of the items will be introduced at the beginning of the unit with the exception of the cardboard grill
which will be introduced on day three (Wednesday) which is the day that we will be grilling on an indoor grill
for our cooking activity.

Are there any special rules that the children need to follow when using these items?
There are no special rules for the equipment in the outdoor activities. They will be allowed in any area of the
outdoor space including the sand pit.

What do you hopethe children to learn?
The goal is for the children to be able to experiment with kitchen tools and how they work through trial and
error. They will be watching and assisting with the teachers during the cooking activities and will have the
opportunities to use the equipment on their own in several areas of the classroom

What are some ways that the children can reflect on what they have learned?
They will be reflecting by repeating the skills and knowledge gained from observing and interacting in the
cooking activities in class. They will be able to reenact the activities or create their own activities while
avoiding the dangers of using a heat source.
Changes to the Environment
Thematic Unit Topic: Cooking
Classroom Area: Music and Movement

List the Items You Plan to Introduce and How Much They Will Cost (a minimum of 6):
Remember:
The items should be safe, child-directed, encourage the use of multiple intelligences and provide
opportunities for sensory learning).
The items should be reasonably priced, able to be made by the teacher or easily obtainable.
Try to use objects that are already in the classroom in creative, new ways.
Think about what items you might obtain through donations from family, local business, etc.

1. Pots and Pans-Brought from Home-(Free)
2. Cup of Beans-Dollar Store ($1)
3. Spoons-Dollar Store ($1)
4. Colander- Brought from Home (Free)
5. Tape Recorder-Already in the Class/Donated (Free)
6 CD of Cooking Themed Songs (Made by Teacher)
7. Whisk-Dollar Store ($1)
8. Pie Tins-Dollar Store ($1-$3)
When will you introduce these items? (At the beginning of the thematic unit, throughout the unit
during a small group lesson plan, circle time)
These items will be introduced at the beginning of the thematic unit. They will be placed in the center for the
duration of the unit for the children to play with as they please.
Are there any special rules that the children need to follow when using these items?
There are no special rules for these items but they will be supervised while in use.
What do you hopethe children to learn?
I hope the children can learn to use the items found in the home in unique ways as well as receive hands on
experience with the items that they observe their parents and the teacher uses in the kitchen.
What are some ways that the children can reflect on what they have learned?
The children will get to reflect on what they learned by making up dances, singing and recoding songs about
cooking, and using the items to create musical instruments. They can reflect on their learning in groups of peers
as well as individually.
Changes to the Environment
Thematic Unit Topic: Cooking
Classroom Area: Dramatic Play

List the Items You Plan to Introduce and How Much They Will Cost (a minimum of 6):
Remember:
The items should be safe, child-directed, encourage the use of multiple intelligences and provide
opportunities for sensory learning).
The items should be reasonably priced, able to be made by the teacher or easily obtainable.
Try to use objects that are already in the classroom in creative, new ways.
Think about what items you might obtain through donations from family, local business, etc.

1. Aprons-Donated (Free)
2. Cooking Utensils (spoons, spatulas, whisks etc.)-Dollar Store ($1-$5)
3. Chef Hat-Made by Teacher (Free)
4. Pots and Pans-Donated (Free)
5. Menus-Made by Teacher or From Local Restaurants (Free)
6 Take out Containers-From Local Restaurants (Free)
7. Pretend Cameras-Teacher Made or Donated (Free)
8. Empty Food Boxes-Brought from Home (Free)
9. Cook Books-Donated (Free)
When will you introduce these items? (At the beginning of the thematic unit, throughout the unit
during a small group lesson plan, circle time)
These items will be introduced at the beginning of the week with the exception of the pretend cameras that
will be introduced during the activity that we learn to create our own cooking shows.
Are there any special rules that the children need to follow when using these items?
There are no special rules with the items in this area; the children have the freedom to be creative with the
items in this area.
What do you hopethe children to learn?
I hope that the children learn to use kitchen items in the way they were intended while avoiding the danger of
using a real heat source. They can recreate what they have observed and use the items in the same or a similar
way that they witnessed during the cooking activities in class.
What are some ways that the children can reflect on what they have learned?
The children can reflect on what they have learned by working with the other children in the class or by
themselves to talk out or recreate what they have learned and observed. They can create and write their own
cooking shows by using the menus and cook books available as well as the pretend cameras.
Changes to the Environment
Thematic Unit Topic: Cooking
Classroom Area: Language and Literacy

List the Items You Plan to Introduce and How Much They Will Cost (a minimum of 6):
Remember:
The items should be safe, child-directed, encourage the use of multiple intelligences and provide
opportunities for sensory learning).
The items should be reasonably priced, able to be made by the teacher or easily obtainable.
Try to use objects that are already in the classroom in creative, new ways.
Think about what items you might obtain through donations from family, local business, etc.

1. Cookbooks-Donated (Free)
2. Recipe Cards-Made by Teacher (Free)
3. Food Pyramid-Made by Teacher (Free)
4. Tape Recorders-Donated or ($20)
5. Blank Scripts to eventually use in Dramatic Play Area-Teacher Made (Free)
6 A Variety of Cooking/Food Themed Books- Checked out From Library and/or Donations (Free)
7. Flash Cards with Kitchen Items and their names Made By Teacher (Free)
8. Thermometer Chart- Made by Teacher (Free)
9. Poster Boards-Dollar Store ($1-$5)
When will you introduce these items? (At the beginning of the thematic unit, throughout the unit
during a small group lesson plan, circle time)
Most of these items will be introduced at the beginning of the thematic unit, with the exception of the scripts
that will be introduced the day that the cooking show is introduced.
Are there any special rules that the children need to follow when using these items?
There are no special rules for these items, the children are free to learn and experience the items with freedom.
What do you hopethe children to learn?
I hope that the children learn that cooking takes a large amount of reading and writing and that with some
practice anyone can cook because once reading is learned a recipe can be read.
What are some ways that the children can reflect on what they have learned?
The children can reflect on what they learned while creating the cookbooks and looking through the recipe
cards. The children can reflect in a group or individually at home and in the classroom.
Changes to the Environment
Thematic Unit Topic: Cooking
Classroom Area: Blocks

List the Items You Plan to Introduce and How Much They Will Cost (a minimum of 6):
Remember:
The items should be safe, child-directed, encourage the use of multiple intelligences and provide
opportunities for sensory learning).
The items should be reasonably priced, able to be made by the teacher or easily obtainable.
Try to use objects that are already in the classroom in creative, new ways.
Think about what items you might obtain through donations from family, local business, etc.

1. Milk Cartons (Empty)-Brought from Home (Free)
2. Egg Cartons-Brought From Home (Free)
3. Pasta Boxes-Brought From Home (Free)
4. Cereal Boxes-Brought From Home (Free)
5. Foil-Dollar Store ($1)
6. Saran Wrap-Dollar Store ($1)
7. Drained Canned Food- Dollar Store ($1-$5)
8. Strawberry Baskets-Left from One of the Cooking Activities (Free)
When will you introduce these items? (At the beginning of the thematic unit, throughout the unit
during a small group lesson plan, circle time)
These items will be introduced at the beginning of the thematic unit.
Are there any special rules that the children need to follow when using these items?
There will be no special rules for these items; the children are free to play with these items as they wish.
What do you hopethe children to learn?
I hope the children will continue to explore the uses of different items in the kitchen from their home. They
can use these items in either creative ways or in the way they were intended.
What are some ways that the children can reflect on what they have learned?
The children can reflect on what they have observed during the cooking activities as well as other activities in
the class by recreating what they have witnessed or by using creative ways to reimagine how to use items that
were intended for other uses.
Changes to the Environment
Thematic Unit Topic: Cooking
Classroom Area: Math and Manipulatives

List the Items You Plan to Introduce and How Much They Will Cost (a minimum of 6):
Remember:
The items should be safe, child-directed, encourage the use of multiple intelligences and provide
opportunities for sensory learning).
The items should be reasonably priced, able to be made by the teacher or easily obtainable.
Try to use objects that are already in the classroom in creative, new ways.
Think about what items you might obtain through donations from family, local business, etc.

1. Different Colored Pasta-Dollar Store ($1-$3)
2. Oatmeal-Dollar Store ($1)
3. Food Coloring-($3)
4. Measuring Cups/Spoons-Dollar Store ($1)
5. Scales-Donated or Brought From Home (Free)
6. Plates-Dollar Store ($1)
7. Food Baster-Dollar Store ($1)
8. Class made Play Dough- Grocery Store ($20)
When will you introduce these items? (At the beginning of the thematic unit, throughout the unit
during a small group lesson plan, circle time)
These items will be introduced at the beginning of the thematic unit with the exception of play dough that will
not be introduced until we make it as a group in class.
Are there any special rules that the children need to follow when using these items?
The only special rule is that the oatmeal and the pasta are not for eating but used for counting and measuring.
What do you hopethe children to learn?
I hope the children can learn to measure and count the items by using the skills observed in the cooking
activities during class time. They will be able to learn to use a scale as well as measure out different ingredients.
What are some ways that the children can reflect on what they have learned?
The children will be able to reflect what they have learned by assisting the teaching in the cooking activities
and showing their knowledge of measurements during the large group activities. They can reflect on these
things alone or with a group.
Changes to the Environment
Thematic Unit Topic: Cooking
Classroom Area: Science

List the Items You Plan to Introduce and How Much They Will Cost (a minimum of 6):
Remember:
The items should be safe, child-directed, encourage the use of multiple intelligences and provide
opportunities for sensory learning).
The items should be reasonably priced, able to be made by the teacher or easily obtainable.
Try to use objects that are already in the classroom in creative, new ways.
Think about what items you might obtain through donations from family, local business, etc.

1. Scales-Donated (Free)
2. Measuring Cups/Spoons-Dollar Store ($1)
3. Water Bottles- Grocery Store ($5)
4. Timers-Donated or Dollar Store ($1)
5. Thermometers-Donated or Brought from Home (Free)
6 Saran Wrap-Dollar Stores ($1)
7. Ice-From the Freezer (Free)
8. Teacher Supervised Hot Water (Free)
When will you introduce these items? (At the beginning of the thematic unit, throughout the unit
during a small group lesson plan, circle time)
These items, with the exception of the ice and the hot water which will be introduced only when the teacher
will be able to supervise, will be introduced at the beginning of the thematic unit.
Are there any special rules that the children need to follow when using these items?
The special rules include safety with hot water and thermometers; they can be made of glass and can
potentially be broken first.
What do you hopethe children to learn?
I hope that the children learn how to use temperature and how to measure it. This will be done through
playing with the water station and heating and cooling the water with ice and heated water.
What are some ways that the children can reflect on what they have learned?
The children can reflect on what they learned during the cooking activities with knowledge of temperature.
This will help them understand what it means for something to be hot or cold and how a stove and oven cook
things through heat and how a refrigerator and ice cool things down.
Changes to the Environment
Thematic Unit Topic: Cooking
Classroom Area: Art

List the Items You Plan to Introduce and How Much They Will Cost (a minimum of 6):
Remember:
The items should be safe, child-directed, encourage the use of multiple intelligences and provide
opportunities for sensory learning).
The items should be reasonably priced, able to be made by the teacher or easily obtainable.
Try to use objects that are already in the classroom in creative, new ways.
Think about what items you might obtain through donations from family, local business, etc.

1. Rolling Pin-Dollar Store ($1)
2. Cookie Cutters (Plastic)-Dollar Store ($1)
3. Rice (Uncooked and Cooked)-Dollar Store ($2)
4. Cereal (Dry)-Dollar Store ($1)
5. Food Coloring-($3)
6. Cooked and Uncooked Pasta-Dollar Store ($4)
7. Shape Cut Out Worksheets- Made By Teacher (Free)
8. Bleached Flour- Grocery Store ($5)
When will you introduce these items? (At the beginning of the thematic unit, throughout the unit
during a small group lesson plan, circle time)
These items will be introduced at the beginning of the thematic unit.
Are there any special rules that the children need to follow when using these items?
Special rules include food coloring is to be used by the teacher only or with teacher supervision only. As well
as the rice, cereal, flour and pasta are not to be eaten but only used for crafted activities.
What do you hopethe children to learn?
I hope that the children learn to use the items found in the kitchen to create and imagine new ways of using
them. They are free to use the items in any safe way they want.
What are some ways that the children can reflect on what they have learned?
The children will be able to reflect on what they learned through many projects they will be creating using
these materials. They can create these projects individually or with their fellow classmates.