Make that chocolate sundae!

The student will write detailed directions for making and eating a chocolate sundae. S/he will then create and eat a sundae.

A lesson plan for grades 1–2 English Language Arts

By Landa Latta

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Related topics

• Learn more about details, language arts, pre-writing, read-alouds, recipes, writing, and writing process.

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Learning outcomes

Students will edit written work for completeness.

Teacher planning

Time required for lesson

100 minutes

Materials/resources

• One copy of The Talking Eggs by Robert San Souci or The Secret Birthday Message by Eric Carle
• paper
• pencils
• ice cream
• toppings
• disposable bowls
• disposable spoons
• napkins

Technology resources

• Video Camera and Blank Video Tape
• Tape Recorder and Blank Tape if a student is having difficulties with writing

Pre-activities

• Students should hear one or both of the books and discuss the directions’ clarity and sequence and the way directions affect the outcome of the story.
• Students should have experience with various pre-writing options and with various types of directions, such as in games, academics, recipes.

Activities

1. Quickly review the plot of the book and help students recall previous determinations about the importance of using directions.
2. Review the parts of a recipe: Goal, Materials, Method (Steps).
3. Tell students that the goal of their recipe is to make an ice cream sundae. Give students 60 seconds to think about how they want to plan.
4. Give students a planning sheet to write down the goals, materials and steps for their recipe.
5. Have students write a first draft of their recipe using their planning sheet.
6. Edit the first draft for details and sequence.
7. Students read directions to a partner or small group, who listens for any possible problems.
8. Students write final copy of plan.
9. For making the sundaes, students exchange recipes and follow the directions written by their partner to create their ice cream sundae.
10. Students eat sundae and watch video of themselves following the directions.

Assessment

• Sundaes are reasonable representatives of the written directions.
• Written directions are clear and sequentially logical.
• All materials are included.
• Time linking words are used (First, then, after, when).
• Present tense action verbs are used (take, open, wash).

Supplemental information

Is that a fact? Nonfiction writing K-3 by Tony Stead includes rubrics and instructional ideas about teaching students to write instructions. The author has taught instructional writing to students as young as kindergarten.

Comments

Depending on the group, students can read the directions of another child, create the sundae, and let the author of the directions eat it. The 100 minutes for this lesson is usually two 50-minute periods — one for writing and editing and one for finalizing the work, making the sundae and eating it.