Found crumpled after my 4th/5th grade class.
I’m sure all classroom teachers (and parents) have found objects left behind: that torn corner with a private message to a friend; a bracelet casually misplaced by the sink; a scrawled drawing tossed aside, mistaken for trash. I found a piece of paper crumbled and left on the edge of a table after class yesterday. I was just about to throw it away when I decided to open it up and take a gander. Was it going to be a wad of chewing gum? A blank piece of paper carelessly wasted? The decoder to a secret language?
I know which student left it– 90% sure, anyway. This student requested a copy of the day’s recipe and before I could provide him with a sheet of paper to write it down, he pulled this crumpled wad out of his pocket. When I handed him the fresh sheet, unbeknownst to me, this one was left behind. We went on with our cooking, he went on with his recipe copying.
I opened the paper to total surprise. This student had taken the time to list and draw… what? A few of his favorite proteins? Flavor profiles? His shopping list? I was about to toss it when I decided to stick it into my own pocket and stick it up there.
I am personally fond of “meati,” though I am unsure what animal it comes from– a Siamese chicken (see double leg bone)? I love the drawing for the bone-in ham, complete with knife scoring, bravo. I also find pleasure in the fact that the more processed foods, fish “stik” and “patty”, are simple two-dimensional blobs, while the more identifiable food sources actually resemble what they are– and are far more appetizing.
Cute! Maybe he’s on Atkins to trim down before the holiday cookie season.
Yes! Didn’t even think of that one… Good call. He might have been sending me a subliminal message too since we only do vegetarian in class…. Hmmm….
Maybe you could try veggie burger “meat”balls…I use millet and chickpeas as a base for mine and it’s almost chicken-y.
Atkins diet, obviously
DK- I think my students would revolt if I said we were making a burger and proceeded to pull out chickpeas 😉 I’m not anti-meat. If we’re going to make a burger, we’d make a burger. We cook (mostly) vegetarian, but they don’t actually know that! Mostly bc it’s easier with allergies, religion, diets and hands that creep mouth-ward. But…. I am planning some falafel for next semester which your chickpea millet “meat” balls sound like!
This is really wonderful!
I think your observations on the blob-y fish stik and patty are absolutely correct, and further shows that you making a difference in this classroom.