THE PROGRAM: Community Cooks is an interdisciplinatry project in which children explore a restaurant in small groups and then recreate their own restaurant within the classroom. The children decide on a name for their restaurant, create menus, decide on decor, seating, jobs, materials needed and arrangement within the classroom. The children create their own menus, waitress/waiters take orders, and present checks to the customers who then "pay" the hostess. This involves a multitude of math and language skills in a realistic setting. Our study culminates with a luncheon at our local restaurant with the teachers as waitresses!

THE STUDENTS: The entire Kindergarten participated in this project which lasted approximately 5 weeks. This project could be adapted by any grade level utilizing whatever businesses are in your school's immediate community.

THE STAFF: The project was developed with advice from Dr. Judy David and implemented by the kindergarten staff at Bardonia. We were assisted by teaching assistants who covered our classes while the teachers escorted small groups to the restaurant.

MATERIALS: A table within the classroom as well as a small surrounding area is needed.

OUTSIDE RESOURCES: Using whatever businesses are in your school community.

OVERALL VALUE: In Community Cooks the children were able to apply the skills they have learned all year in a real-life setting, as well as gaining an understanding of "working" at a particular job.

RECOMMENDED FUNDING: $200.00

FOR MORE INFORMATION:

DEVELOPER: Pamela Scarvera

SCHOOL:

Bardonia Elementary School
31 Bardonia Road
Bardonia, N.Y. 10954
(914) 624-3970

PRINCIPAL: Annemarie Romagnoli

DISTRICT: Clarkstown Central School District

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