recipe-reading: let’s make muffins!

Today, we mixed up the way we usually make muffins–and we make them a LOT around here. Usually my little bakers stand on their chairs, aprons on (I honestly cannot resist!), waiting for instructions; however, today I put the recipe in their little hands and had my future Chef Duff’s/ emerging readers run the show (or try to, at least!).

• Reading to Perform a Task–Muffin Making: All I did before we aproned-up today was change the layout of the recipe that we usually use to make banana muffins. Maddy, Owen, and Cora have made this with me a million times, but I enlarged the font, added some pictures, and simplified the already very simple recipe. In fact, here it is. I printed it on card stock and placed it in a plastic paper-protector. This will be the first official recipe for The Maddy, Owen, and Cora Recipe Binder.

We assembled our ingredients and checked them off of the list using dry-erase markers (these wipe off the plastic very easily so it’s clear for next time!). Then, since reading is the combination of decoding words on a page and using context (pictures and experience) to comprehend the text, I placed the Directions in front of Maddy and Owen and guided them through the baking of our Favorite Banana Muffins. Of course, they don’t use the mixer yet, but they are able to do most everything else, so although it gets messy, it’s fun for them and the results are worth it! Talk about sneaking learning into our day. . .

So even though my kiddos thought all they were doing was creating muffins that they love to eat, the challenge of making sense of the recipe not only helped them practice reading, but it also showed them first-hand that reading must be done to get things accomplished.

**I’ve shared several other materials before with my blog-reading pals. If you’d like a copy of this recipe, here it is!

We’re all teachers for our children, and teachers are the best thieves. There’s no need to re-create the wheel! Please, if you have recipes like this, send me a copy!

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