FOOD

Our food Interdisciplinary Lively Application Project (ILAP) is the tastiest of any ILAP you'll find.  In the main activity of these ILAPs, the students prepare and serve a particular meal.  In the secondary activities, the students research and investigate the background to their meal; these activities can involve many things concerning the particular foods in the meal, the historical, cultural, and societal aspects of planning meals, preparing food, dining, and celebration.  These activities answer such questions as why we eat the food we do, why we dine in the manner we do, and what the roles of our food and dining are in our culture.  These activities and questions will involve interdisciplinary problem-solving skills and each ILAP includes student analysis in several of the following areas:

• Science (health and nutritional)/Home economics: explores how food impacts our physical and mental well-being.
• Geography: explores the connections between what we eat and the local climate, topography, flora and fauna.
• Mathematics: preparation (measuring, determining quantities to make), serving, purchasing, other planning of the meal.
• History/Social Studies: explores the social and cultural aspects of food and eating--the role of certain foods in various cultures and social settings, customs of serving and entertaining (including costume), etiquette and table manners. Includes the study of past customs and habits.
• Music: explores the relationship of music and song to celebration.
• English Writing, Literature, Foreign Language: writing of research reports, and possible Web Page design.  Study of dining habits and manners in foreign contexts (as well as historical contexts).
• Art: designing of menus, decorating for the meal.

GENERAL RESOURCES FOR FOOD AND DINING

Mexican Fiesta  (Written for K-3)		Homecookin' (Written for Middle School)		A Roman Meal (Written for Grades 9-11)