VISITING OUR SMALL WORLD

Exploring American diversity through the foods we eat.

About Supplies Activity Steps Reflection Questions Related Activities Shop 4-H

4-H at Home » 4-H Cooking Activities » Visiting Our Small World

About the Activity

Over the years, people from all around the world have come to the US, bringing with them their culture, religion, stories, celebrations and heritage. In this activity, kids will learn about cultural diversity by exploring the foods commonly served in your family’s home and researching where they originated.

 

Grades: 4-6

Available in Shop 4-H Curriculum: Food, Culture, and Reading

Supplies

  • 4 sheets of construction paper
  • paper hole punch
  • 2 feed of yarn or string
  • pictures of food from magazines, grocery store advertisements or printed from the internet
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Activity Steps

  1. Make a list of six foods commonly served in your home. Using the internet, find out where these foods originated.
  2. Construct a book entitled “Around the World Food Favorites” using the following steps:
  • Fold a stack of four sheets of construction paper in half.
  • Punch six to eight holes along the folded edge of the stack using a hole-punch.
  • Thread a 2-foot piece of yarn through the holes to sew the paper together into a book. Knot the yarn to old the pages in place.
  • Cut the photos of foods from the list out of a magazine or grocery store advertisements.
  • Use the internet to find and print pictures of these foods.
  • Starting with the second page, glue the photos into the book – one photo per page. Label the foods and include their country of origin or where they are a traditional dish. Write a sentence describing the food’s taste, texture, shape, or other distinguishing feature.
  • Decorate the cover of the book with photos or drawings of food. Include the title of the book and your name.
  • Share the book with your family or friends.
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Reflection Questions
Questions for your kids and teens.

SHARE

  • What foods does your family enjoy at home?
  • Which of those foods did you put on your book?
  • What are some foods your family buys?
  • From what countries do these foods originate?

PROCESS

  • How does your family heritage affect the foods you eat?
  • Why is it important to know your family food heritage?
  • How are the foods you eat affected by people from other countries?

GENERALIZE

  • Why is the US often referred to as a “melting pot” of cultures?
  • What do you learn about other countries by eating food?

APPLY

  • What are some other ways to learn about other countries?
  • How can you expand your family’s list of foods from other countries?
  • How does knowing where food heritages come from help learn about diversity?
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Shop 4-H Curriculum and Products

Shop4-H.org offers university-backed curriculum, educational kits, products and supplies to expand your knowledge of cooking, food, and nutrition.

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4-H Clover Cookie Cutter

The only thing better than cookies? Clover-shaped, 4-H-made cookies. Bring 4-H into your kitchen with this metal 4-H cookie cutter. This cutter makes for an excellent cooking competition or food demonstration prize.

$1.25

4-H Cooking 101 Curriculum from Shop 4-H

4-H Cooking 101

Grades: 6-12

 

Learn how to avoid spreading germs while cooking, measure and mix ingredients, test baked goods for doneness, brown meat, and set the table for a family meal. The curriculum comes as loose-leaf paper to make it easier for youth to pull out recipes.

$10.05

4-H clover aprons from Shop 4-H

4-H Clover Apron

All good cooks need an apron when they are whisking around the kitchen! Cook in style while showing your 4-H pride!

Available in green or white.

$16.99

iCook digital cooking curriculum from Shop 4-H

iCook: Cooking, Eating & Playing Together

Grades: 4-6

 

Developed by professionals at American land-grant universities, this digital program includes eight 2-hour sessions of instruction to help you learn the ins and outs of cooking and nutrition. 

$21.00

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Fresh Chefs Cooking Essentials Bundle

Get cooking with the Fresh Chefs Cooking Essentials Bundle. This kit helps your aspiring chef learn their way around the kitchen, with tools designed especially for them. This set includes a spatula, measuring cup set, and 2 Flex-it cutting boards.

$15.99

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Fantastic Foods: Six Easy Bites

Grades: 3-12

 

This food activity guide helps 4-Hers learn about different food ingredients, food characteristics, and food safety issues. 

$8.95

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