Integrate children into an edible project centered on landforms.
The study of landforms is common in all stages of learning, but integrating edible projects into geography lessons can engage the students and reinforce the lessons in a hands-on manner. Students use mathematical concepts in measuring ingredients to create the edible projects and share in a snack afterward. Ensure that each child washes his hands prior to the activity if the project is to be consumed, and wear protective smocks to avoid getting school clothing messy.
Plateau Projects
Give each group of children a scoop of warm rice krispie treat mixture and allow them to form it into a plateau. If children wet their hands with cold water, the mixture will not stick to their skin. Children can create a raised landform that is flat on the top and then can cover it by spreading a layer of melted chocolate with a plastic butter knife to resemble dirt. Allow the chocolate to set and harden before slicing it for the groups to share.
Valleys and Lakes
Cut a watermelon, cantaloupe or honeydew melon in half and give one piece to each group of children. With a melon-baller, students hollow the melon half to create a valley landform and place the melon into disposable bowls to eat afterwards. The rind cannot be eaten, but the students understand the concept of a valley after completing the activity.
Fill the rind with blue gelatin prepared by the students or the teacher, depending on the age of the children. Boiling water is necessary to make gelatin so use caution to avoid burns and spills. Allow to set in the refrigerator by placing it in a bowl approximately the same size as the melon to keep from tipping over. The children can press fish crackers into the half-set gelatin to create a lake.
Volcanoes
Molten lava cake is similar to the structure of a volcano, which is where it gets its name. Prepare chocolate cakes in small ramekins or a muffin tin. (See Resource for a sample recipe.) The students, in preparing the dessert, can practice mathematical skills in measuring and enjoy a special treat when the project is complete.
Give each student a piece of baked brownie and allow them to reform the square into a V formation replicating a volcano. Use a disposable eye dropper to drizzle thinned orange frosting onto the top of the volcano.
Map Project
Print a United States or state landform map from the Internet or copy from a teacher resource book for each group of students. Supply the teams with various edible pieces such as string licorice, chocolate chips, cereal pieces and blue sprinkles. The children use these edible pieces to designate roads with licorice, chocolate chips as mountain ranges, cereal pieces acting as plateaus and blue sprinkles cover bodies of water and rivers. The students can disassemble the maps and eat the parts after the lesson.
Tags: edible, project, landforms, each group, allow them, blue sprinkles, cereal pieces, chocolate chips, each group children, edible pieces
