Understanding How Science, Culture and Economics Come Together

Students gather around Havens teacher Ken Taylor to learn the fine art of kneading bread as part of an innovative, interdisciplinary second grade project, "The Science, Culture, and Economics of Bread." A grant from the Piedmont Educational Foundation provided funds to purchase books and educational videos about various aspects of the history and culture of bread and basic economic concepts of interdependence, production and consumption. This project enriches the math, science, art and language arts curricula as well as addresses second-grade social studies standards.

The Second Grade Teachers at Havens had this to share with us about the value of this instructional unit.

“This study of bread helped students learn not only discrete social studies standards, but also about the interactions between people in their communities and about different cultures; between people and their environment; about people in the here and now as well as in the past and ultimately, despite our differences, how we all have the same wants and needs.

This unit {of study} took students through a variety of engaging hands-on activities within and without the classroom that integrated math, science, reading, writing, social studies and art that allowed children to construct their knowledge by actively investigating how bread is made, distributed and enjoyed by people around the world.

The day started quite early, with students coming in the door at 7:30 AM. However, there were lots of eager faces and excitement as students donned aprons and chef’s hats and began the process of making bread dough. By the end of the day after we had sold our last loaf of bread, we were all exhausted but we felt we had accomplished a great thing, and we were proud of what we had done.

What better way for students to learn to add and subtract, than to put them in charge of a cash register and to have to add up purchases, count real money, and make the correct amount of change!”