Math in the Kitchen

What You Need:

• A Thanksgiving recipe
• Kitchen supplies (measuring tools, bowls, mixing spoons, etc.)
• Paper
• Pencil

What You Do:

1. Think of a recipe that you intend to make this Thanksgiving that needs a little tweaking. Do you need to double, triple or even quadruple the servings? This will be the perfect recipe to use with your fourth grader.
2. Show the recipe to your child. Tell her to look over the ingredients and the steps. Have her take out all the cooking utensils and ingredients needed.
3. Discuss how many people the recipe serves, and compare that with the number of guests. Do you need to double, triple or quadruple the ingredients?
4. Now, ask your child to figure out using pencil and paper how to change each ingredient amount. Once she has finished working, have your child show her work and explain to you how she figured out the new amounts.
5. If all her math is correct, start making the recipe together. Sit back as much as you can and let her do the measuring, stirring, kneading, pouring or whatever your recipe calls for.
6. When all is said and done, make sure you give your child credit at the dinner table! Before you know it, you’ll have a permanent assistant in the kitchen willing to help you with all your cooking.  You'll also have a fourth grader with new confidence about key math skills and why they're important.