November Treats in The Classroom

Aloha! It's Corinna from Surfin' Through Second. I am happy to be sharing here on The Primary Chalkboard today.

Next week is a short week at school and I always like to throw in some fun activities for Thanksgiving. I know some teachers have their own Thanksgiving feast, but I scale it down a bit and have students prepare a recipe in class.

I love cooking with my second graders.  It makes them focus on what they are reading, they practice their measuring skills and they can't wait to eat what they have made.  This year I am going to have my students make their own pumpkin pies.  This is a no bake recipe and doesn't require too many ingredients.

I usually send home a letter a week ahead of time and have parents donate one item for our activity.

  Just mix up the wet ingredients to make the filling. One batch makes enough for 5 kids.

Then comes the fun part.  The kids make their own crust.

Place one graham cracker in a zippered sandwich bag and squeeze out all the air.

Then crush the graham cracker into small crumbs.

Pour the graham cracker crumbs into the cup.

Spoon in some filling. (Not too much, it is very rich!)

Add some whipped cream on top.

Yummy!! Their own mini pumpkin pie.  I usually have a parent volunteer come in to help.  I also set it up as a station in the back of the classroom while the other students are working at their desks.

The students at their desks color in their recipe page and finish up any projects or Thanksgiving activities we have been working on.

Here is the recipe page for your students.

and the donation letter.

I bring in the cinnamon and the pumpkin pie spice.  Adjust ingredients for the size of your class. For a class of 20 you need a few cans of pumpkin, 1 box of graham crackers, 4 boxes of pudding, 2-3 tubs of whipped cream, and one can of milk. (I dilute the milk in water since it is so rich, plus you don't have to worry about keeping it cold)

If this recipe looks a bit too messy, here is another one that is easy to make.  It's perfect for Thanksgiving in the classroom.

Click on any of the pictures to download from Google Docs.

I hope these recipes add some fun to your celebrations. What activities do you have planned in class for Thanksgiving?  I always love hearing what others do in their classrooms.