Cooking Up Learning

Momentous Monday … a summer flashback! 😎

My fourth graders were reading The Hope Chest, and one of my favorite part of is finding ways to connect curriculum content with culinary integration. Naturally, this lesson led us into women’s suffrage … and, of course, food became part of the story.

A huge thank you to Eva Camp ( )— female entrepreneur, mother, wife, and business owner — for helping bring this lesson to life. If you have not visited Screen Door Kitchen in Dayton, Tennessee, it is absolutely delicious and so worth the trip!

During this lesson, my students made “Unity Fudge,” inspired by the pretzel fudge commonly made during the suffrage movement. American suffragists often used baked goods and sweets as strategic tools for political organizing. Women sold fudge and homemade treats at fundraising bazaars and in “suffrage shops” to raise money for campaigns, distribute literature, and connect with voters in ways society deemed acceptable at the time.

Suffragists also created community cookbooks filled with traditional recipes alongside bold arguments for women’s voting rights … using kitchens and baking as spaces for activism, courage, and change.

We added pretzels to our fudge to symbolize the twists and turns women endured to have their voices heard politically and socially. What looked like a simple dessert quickly became a meaningful conversation about perseverance, unity, resilience, and the power of using your voice.

These are the kinds of momentous moments in education that remind me learning is most powerful when students can taste it, touch it, and truly connect to it. 🤍

What other memories will this summer recall?

At its core, Cooking Up Learning is grounded in a simple but powerful belief —> students learn best by doing. Integrating culinary experiences across content areas deepens engagement while fostering critical thinking, creativity, and real-world application.

That belief came to life at the 2026 Tennessee STEM Innovation Summit, where my nearly packed session (close to 100 educators from across the state) created a vibrant, engaged learning environment. The energy in the room reflected a shared commitment to exploring innovative, hands-on approaches and left with inspiration for bringing this work into their own classrooms.

Conferences like this play a vital role in amplifying Cooking Up Learning: creating space to connect, collaborate, and expand experiential learning across schools and communities.

I’m excited to share that all of this work has been accepted for presentation at the ISTE/ASCD Conference in Orlando this summer. This next step extends my passion project to a national stage…once again!

The opportunity to continue sharing and growing this work reinforces the importance of connection, innovation, and “cooking up” meaningful learning experiences for all students.

❤️ I love my job. I love my students. And I love this opportunity to spread my passion to whoever wants to listen!

It takes a community to bring learning to life…and we are incredibly grateful for our amazing partner, Aubie Smith Farms (), for doing just that! 🍓🌱

Through their generous donation of farm-fresh, ruby red strawberries, our students were able to experience true farm-to-table learning…connecting classroom lessons to local agriculture, sustainability, and the people who make it all possible.

Our 1st grade ornithologists used these strawberries to create a “human version of suet”—a frozen yogurt bark topped with berries, seeds, and granola—while learning how food supports birds and wildlife in our community. 🐦

In 2nd grade, strawberries became the star of our pollinator studies, as students explored how bees and other pollinators impact our global food supply. Their hands-on creation? A fresh and flavorful strawberry cucumber salsa: colorful, crisp, and perfect for summer! 🐝🥒

By 4th grade, strawberries helped bring history to life during a Women’s Suffrage tea party. Students thoughtfully prepared delicate finger sandwiches—cucumber dill and strawberry mint cream cheese—while sipping warm lemon herbal tea and learning how food has long played a role in bringing people together during times of activism and change. ☕✨

Because of community partners like Aubie Smith Farms, these lessons go beyond textbooks. They plant seeds of appreciation for local farmers, agricultural experts, and the importance of supporting those who nourish our communities.

We are deeply thankful for their generosity, dedication, and willingness to invest in hundreds of students…creating meaningful experiences that will last for years to come. 💛

Start your spring planting next month! Mark your calendars! 🗓️🌱

This week, after returning from spring break, our 1st, 2nd, and 4th graders jumped right back into learning—bringing their scientific minds into the culinary lab!

Using a dichotomous key (a tool scientists use to identify organisms through a series of two contrasting choices), students applied this strategy in a brand-new, original way—> identifying culinary tools and kitchen roles through careful observation and decision-making.

But the learning didn’t stop there…

As they moved into their kitchen tasks, students focused on the critical importance of:
✨ Sequencing steps correctly
✨ Following directions with precision
✨ Understanding how each role contributes to the whole

They quickly realized that just like a dichotomous key, cooking is a process…. each step builds on the next, and EVERY decision matters!

This hands-on experience encouraged:
👩‍🍳 Strong teamwork and collaboration
👨‍🍳 Clear communication within groups
🥄 Ownership of roles and responsibilities

From science to the kitchen, our students are discovering that thinking critically, following processes, and working together are skills that transfer everywhere.

The learning starts in the classroom… and comes to life in the kitchen! 🏗️✨

Our Pre-K students have been diving into their Creative Curriculum Unit: Buildings, exploring big ideas like:
🔨 Who builds buildings? What tools do they use?
🧱 What are buildings made of? What makes them strong?

Through engaging stories like “Build It From A to Z,” “The Three Little Javelinas,” and “The True Story of the Three Little Pigs,” students began thinking critically about materials, structure, and what makes a building stand strong.

When they step into our culinary classroom, we build on that foundation…literally!

Using toothpicks and marshmallows, students transformed their classroom knowledge into hands-on creations, testing out their ideas and discovering what works (and what doesn’t!). This experience supported our learning goals:
✔️ I can create and build with food
✔️ I can keep trying and think hard when it doesn’t work

It’s powerful to watch students make connections across their learning environments…taking the concepts they’ve explored through books and discussion, and applying them in a meaningful, creative way.

And we’re not done yet… next week, their designs will evolve as they experiment with bread, crackers, frosting, pretzels, and more to make their structures even stronger!

🌺🌊 PBL in Action —Island Adaptation & Food 🌊🌺
Last month, third graders explored how geography shapes the way people eat, focusing on island environments and limited resources.

We asked big questions: What does it mean to live on an island? What happens when fresh food can’t arrive quickly? Through discussion and storytelling, students learned how food traditions in Hawaii reflect human adaptation and resilience.

📖 Students discovered how SPAM became a staple in Hawaii during WWII, when fresh meat was scarce and shelf-stable foods helped families survive. Together, we discussed why long-lasting foods matter in island communities and how this is a powerful example of humans adapting to their environment.

💬 Through reflection, students connected Hawaii’s food history to other places around the world where people rely on preserved or shelf-stable foods — building empathy, understanding, and real-world awareness.

This lesson continues our journey as young scientists and chefs, learning how people across the globe adapt to changing environments in creative and sustainable ways. 🌍💚

🌿 Cooking Up Learning with 5th Grade! 🌎✨
Last week, our chefs-in-training explored how biodiversity shapes our plates and our planet. We asked big questions: How can we, as world citizens, limit our human footprint while creating cleaner, healthier, more sustainable communities?

Students discovered that the variety of leafy greens—and all plants—supports both our health and global food security. By cooking with diverse ingredients, we learned how making thoughtful food choices can help our environment and our neighborhoods thrive.

In less than an hour, five groups whipped up five spinach-powered dishes:
🥬 Spinach brownies
🥬 Green smoothies
🥬 Spinach falafel
🥬 White bean & spinach quesadillas
🥬 Spinach pasta

Every student taste-tested all five creations… and let’s just say — Dr. Seuss would be proud of our green-food adventures! 💚🍽️

As Jules Mercer says, “In a world cluttered with advice about what not to eat, we want to empower people with more food choices that inspire positive change.” And that’s exactly what our young cooks practiced last week.

Here’s to curious minds, full bellies, and a greener future 🌱✨

🌍✨ Third Grade PBL Spotlight: Lesson 1 — Adapting to Survive! ✨🌍
This week we kicked off the first lesson in our brand-new Project-Based Learning unit:
“How can we, as young scientists and chefs, learn from nature’s adaptations to grow and eat in new ways that help our planet thrive?”

To start our 8-week journey, students learned what it means to adapt — and explored how plants, animals, and humans change to survive when their environment shifts.

🍽️ Taste Lab #1: How Humans Adapt Their Food Around the World
Students traveled the globe through food, discovering how different environments shape what people grow, eat, and rely on:

• Andes Mountains (Peru): Quinoa Bowls
What makes quinoa perfect for high-altitude living? Students mixed their own bowls and discussed how this tiny grain fuels life in the mountains.

• Middle East: Hummus Cups
Why do chickpeas thrive in hot, dry climates? Students topped their hummus and explored how this hearty food helps people stay nourished in extreme heat.

• India — Butternut Squash Curry
Using donated squash from Oren Wooden Farms (and connecting to The Jungle Book!), students learned how squash adapts to warm climates and monsoon seasons.

• Norway & Scandinavian Regions: Pickled Veggies
Why do colder regions rely on preserved foods? Students sampled pickled carrots, okra, and asparagus while discussing how humans survive long winters with limited fresh produce.

🌱 Students also compared these human adaptations to natural ones — like a frog’s camouflage or a cactus’s ability to store water — as they built their understanding of how living things survive change.

And this is only Lesson 1.
Over the next several weeks, students will explore hydroponics, seasonal eating, alternative grains, solar cooking, and more!!