School Project (vent)

[24KK9]

I am fairly new to the boards and have only responded to posts a few times, but I now have a vent of my own to share with 60,000 of my closest friends. Our DD is in the fourth grade and they have just finished reading Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. This is my DD's last project of the school year. Is it just me or is this over the top?

1. You are to invent a new dessert. It MUST have chocolate in the ingredients.
2. Record your recipe on cards. Include exact measurements, cooking times, and servings per recipe.
3. Give your new dessert a name.
4. On your due date (to be assigned later) you will need to bring in a sample of your new inventions for each student (27) and the teacher!!
5. Type or print (clearly) your recipe and make copies for each student and teacher.
6. You will present your invention to the class. You will need to tell how you came up with the idea and the ingredients.
7. THIS IS FOR A SCIENCE GRADE. Make it yummy!!!

Mr. Wonka worked on his recipes for YEARS. You may need to work on different recipes before your invention is perfected. Remember: Practice makes perfect!!!!

70 points - Invention and title
10 points - Typed or printed (then copied) recipe cards (27)
10 points - Creativity
10 points - Turned in on time

I have several problems with this. One of them is that it looks to me like the parents or grandparents are the ones who are going to be doing this project...not the kids. I mean, how many parents are going to let their elementary age children loose in the kitchen creating chocolate candies?

Flame away if you must. I'm just wondering if I'm missing something here. By the way, the due date still hasn't been given and their last day of school is May 25th.

 

[RobinMarie]

Dear Teach,

We are allergic to chocolate and have misplaced our kitchen. Besides, this doesn't sound like a science project it sounds like a tribute to Martha Stewart.

Love,
Not Betty Crocker

 

[Stepharoonie!]

That sounds like a teacher's sneaky way of getting some desserts in class

But seriously...that really IS a bit extreme...especially for 4th grade! Those kids will end up getting stomach aches from the recipes...hehehe

 

[stinkerbelle]

Originally posted by 24KK9
Flame away if you must. I'm just wondering if I'm missing something here. By the way, the due date still hasn't been given and their last day of school is May 25th.

No flames from me! I totally agree - that's homework for YOU, not your child.

Your best bet? Take something you already make (cookies/cupcakes/brownies) whatever with chocolate, and add something to it...frosting/peanut butter (oh wait - better not, allergies), fruit, etc.

oh - dessert pizzas are always fun...might be easy. (cause the toppings can vary SOOOOO much)

might be the easiest way out.

but I totally agree with you...for 4th graders - kinda advanced.

 

[faithinkarma]

I would complain, I seriously would. To the principal. Asking a child, asking anyone, to invent a new recipe is absurd. If it were that easy we would all be eating new things every day.

PS how new is this teacher?

 

[phillybeth]

How is anyone going to know if it is a new recipe or not? There are millions of recipes out there- pick one, change one ingredient slightly, and voila, a 'new' recipe. Then just come up with a clever name and a backstory to expain the invention. You could even dress DD up as a 'mad scientist' for the presentation.

 

[winniedapooh]

4th Grade????? I wouldn't let my 5th. Grade DS try this one, because who knows what he would do. I have a question, what about food allergies for some? This is above the top and I agree with Robin and love the letter! Hey Robin, will you send me a note out for a week at Shady Pines, lol?!

 

[buzzlady]

Originally posted by RobinMarie
Dear Teach,

We are allergic to chocolate and have misplaced our kitchen. Besides, this doesn't sound like a science project it sounds like a tribute to Martha Stewart.

Love,
Not Betty Crocker

I have to agree that this is a bit over the top. I don't think I would want to eat anything a 4th grader made/invented.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

I wouldn't like it being assigned at the last minute but we love to "invent" in my house so we would have alot of fun with this one.
Dang it I am starting to think up things....

Ohhh I have been using those "Wilton Candy Melts" (WalMart or Michaels has them) and they coat a whole bag of pretzels. Maybe drizzle some carmel on it and call it Creamy Coated Choco-Pretzels....

ok gotta get out of this thread before I think up anything else...

 

[MosMom]

How about...instead of Death By Chocolate, Death To Teacher.

You could buy those crazy bones candies and put them in a cup with choco pudding, crumbled choco cookies, and gummy worms. You could stick a few bones out of the dirt and put a cookie sticking out with RIP TEACHER on it in icing.

Sounds good to me.

 

[faithinkarma]

Originally posted by MosMom


How about...instead of Death By Chocolate, Death To Teacher.

You could buy those crazy bones candies and put them in a cup with choco pudding, crumbled choco cookies, and gummy worms. You could stick a few bones out of the dirt and put a cookie sticking out with RIP TEACHER on it in icing.

Sounds good to me.

 

[Stepharoonie!]

Originally posted by MosMom


How about...instead of Death By Chocolate, Death To Teacher.

You could buy those crazy bones candies and put them in a cup with choco pudding, crumbled choco cookies, and gummy worms. You could stick a few bones out of the dirt and put a cookie sticking out with RIP TEACHER on it in icing.

Sounds good to me.

OOH!! I LOVE that idea!!

 

[poohbears5]

MosMom I love your idea!!

 

[MosMom]

I would just like to add my legal notice...

If you do use this idea and you or your child are arrested for using threats, I cannot be held responsible for any trouble that may occur.

 

[piratesmate]

I agree that this seems "over the top" . . . . not to mention very last minute. This is an area I wouldn't want to get into with a class with all of the food allergies out there! Not to mention knives & heat in the hands of 9 & 10 yr olds!!!

Maybe...maybe her definition of "recipe" isn't what you're thinking? DD "invented" a recipe (I call it YUCK!) at about that age. She stirs together vanilla yogurt, frozen chocolate chips & banana slices.

How about just dumping together some cereals, choc chips, raisins, etc for some sort of gorp?

You know, this could end up being rather expensive - especially if the kids take her seriously about the "trial & error" thing.

You know, if you don't mind helping - Mystery Machine may be onto something there. DD got a bag of chocolate covered pretzels for her b'day - but each had something else stuck in the chocolate like nuts, M&Ms, craisins, Skittles...

 

[RobinMarie]

Originally posted by winniedapooh
Hey Robin, will you send me a note out for a week at Shady Pines, lol?!

Sure!

I love the Death to Teacher but probably wouldn't risk it. People just don't have a good sense of humor anymore since all the violence in schools.

I DO like the idea of adding something to an existing situation. Take some Yankee Doodle Cupcakes and add yer own invented butter cream frosting ya 'invented'.

 

[stinkerbelle]

Originally posted by piratesmate
How about just dumping together some cereals, choc chips, raisins, etc for some sort of gorp?

when I was young my mother used to dump the last little bits of each cereal box into one big tupperware container...

"Cereal Surprise"

nothing like a bowl of frosted flakes/rice krispies/raisin bran/lucky charms/shredded wheat to start your morning.

blech

 

[disneychrista]

My 5th grade has been "cooking" for science all year. Each month they have a fruit or veggie that they have to find or make a reciepe that includes it has the main ingredient. They type up the reiepe, prepare it and present it to the class. I thought it was a great.

Yes of course this will include parent participation but what "project" in elementry school doesn't??

 

[Tinkbell]

I'm against giving Science grades for cooking. It's so obvious that the parents are going to be the ones doing all of the work here. I wouldn't mind having the children create a recipe, but make the cooking and serving part optional!

 

[MAC3]

I totally feel your pain. My DD is in 6th grade and they also have a final MATH project.....

We have to invent our own Math Game (you know something Milton Bradley will want to market)! Sad part is I stink in math. But what irks me more is that they are telling them (the students) hour many hours they are allowed to work on it per week??????????

Huh? Anyone with a mathematical mind want to volunteer services? Actually we have an idea but do the math has me frozen! Yikes I can wait until summer!

Good Luck,
Lisa