Cooking Up Some Measurements

Cook up some fun by converting common recipe measurements, like tablespoons and cups. Record the conversions on colorful apron with Crayola® Fabric Markers, and you’ll always be prepared in the kitchen!

• 1.

  Following a recipe can be tough if you don’t have the right tools, but using your math skills can get you out of a sticky situation! Imagine you’re making cookie dough. The recipe calls for 2 cups of flour, but the only measuring cup you have is a ½ cup. How many ½ cups of flour will you need to equal 2 cups? What would you do if you only had a tablespoon for measuring the flour? By applying some conversion equations, we can figure out!

• 2.

  Working in small groups with your classmates, use water and common kitchen measuring tools to find out the following: -How many teaspoons equal one tablespoon? -How many tablespoons equal one cup? -How many cups are in one pint? -How many pints are in one quart? -How many quarts are in one gallon?

• 3.

  Using Crayola® Bright Fabric Markers create a colorful conversion chart on an apron for easy reference when you cook! For best results, use an apron that is 100% cotton fabric. Place a piece of paper underneath the drawing area to prevent bleed through. Draw your chart, making sure you saturated the cloth. Add bright drawings and designs around the conversion chart to enhance your apron! When you are finished, ask an adult to iron your design. Set iron on cotton setting and iron on the reverse side using a back and forth motion for 4 minutes. Or place garment in the dryer for 30 minutes on the hottest setting. This will fix the color to the fabric.

• 4.

  Stain Advisement: Fabric markers are permanent on clothing and contain colorants that may stain household surfaces. Wear a smock to protect clothing and cover your work surface. Recap markers as soon as possible and store in a horizontal position. Do not shake markers.

• 5.

  Share your completed apron with the class and compare your measurements. Now you can easily multiply and figure out how many tablespoons are in two cups of flour!

Benefits

• Students engage in a group activity to determine common cooking measurement conversions.
• Students take measurements and create charts based on their results.
• Students apply their findings to solve a mathematic equation.
• Students create a measurement conversion chart on an apron, which can be saved for future reference.

Adaptations

• Invite students to predict the conversion results of each equation before taking the measurements. Display the predictions on the classroom board and compare to the actual results at the end of the activity. Which student made the best predictions?
• For younger students and those with special needs, use Crayola Model Magic® to complete the measurement activity. Fill a teaspoon with Model Magic, making sure it is level with the top of the spoon for accurate measurement. Remove the Model Magic from the teaspoon and place it into a tablespoon. Repeat until the tablespoon is full. How many teaspoons did it take to fill the tablespoon? Record the results on your apron. Repeat these step for the other conversions as well to help students better understand the conversion equations.
• Assessment: Compare the measurements on your apron with your classmates’ findings. Do any of the conversions differ? Repeat the measurement activity for any miscalculated results to determine the correct equation.