Food for Thought: Sixth Graders Construct Literary Food Menus
In Mrs. Singleton’s Grade 6 English class, students participated in book clubs where they selected and ranked four novels (“Honestly Elliott,” by Gillian McDunn, “A Place at the Table,” by Laura Shovan and Saadia Faruqi, “Love Sugar Magic,” by Anna Meriano, “American as Paneer Pie,” by Supriya Kelkar) and then formed groups based on their top choices to read and discuss together. Throughout these sessions, sixth graders explored key themes, characters, and events in their chosen books.
After finishing their novels, the students took their learning to a new level with a new project: constructing Literary Food Menu Boards. Created in the Gates Invention and Innovation Lab, each group was tasked with designing a menu board that reflected key elements of their book. The menu featured a carefully crafted selection of food related to the story, with creative names inspired by character traits, plot points, or themes from the books. The sixth graders also included artwork that symbolized important aspects of the novel.
As part of the project, students wrote paragraph reflections and answered essential questions to demonstrate their understanding of the text and their takeaways from it. Once their menu boards were complete, the sixth graders presented them to the class, explaining how their food choices and artwork connected to the novels. To make it even more engaging, each group also brought in one treat from their menu board to share, giving everyone a chance to taste a part of their literary-inspired creations.
This project combined literary analysis with visits to the Gates Lab, offering students a fresh way to showcase their creativity and comprehension of the books. It was a fun and engaging way to wrap up their book club experiences while fostering teamwork, reflection, and imaginative thinking.
Graland Country Day School
Graland Country Day School is a private school in Denver, Colorado, serving students in preschool, kindergarten, elementary, and middle school. Founded in Denver in 1927, Graland incorporates a rich, experiential learning approach in a traditional classroom setting, emphasizing the development of globally and socially conscious leaders who excel academically.
