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Summary and Objective
Students will understand that the way popcorn is cooked has changed over its history as sources of heat evolved by creating a trifold timeline using pictures to show popcorn being cooked over an open fire in a kettle, on top of a stove and putting a bag of popcorn in a microwave.
Teaching Plan
Step 1.
Brainstorm on a chart pad a list of ideas generated from your students when you say the word "popcorn" and view a real cob of corn that's used for popping. Afterward, explain that we are going to learn about the history of popcorn and how the cooking of it has changed over time.
Step 2.
Read "The Popcorn Book" by Tomie dePaola. Before reading, ask what they know about the cooking of popcorn. Discuss this concept after the story and what they learned from it. Hopefully there will be a varied response including microwave popping, cooking over a stove and how it was done over an open fire "long ago." If not, introduce these concepts.
Step 3.
Show the class a bake kettle, a saucepan and a bag of microwave popcorn. Ask what source of heat would be used to pop corn for each of these items. Examine and discuss the size, weight and what a kettle would be made from. Include why it's better suited for an open fire. Compare to everyday saucepan and then to the pouch of microwave popcorn. In addition to their differences, discuss what they have in common to making popcorn (conducting heat) which is necessary for the kernels to pop. You could also show them a picture of the ceramic vessel to demonstrate the really early means of cooking popcorn with coals pushed up against it.
Step 4.
Introduce the concept of a timeline using the phrases "Long, long ago, before electricity," "When your grandparents were children" and "Nowadays."
Step 5.
Fold a piece of paper into 3 even sections and demonstrate/explain as you draw that a picture of a fire (in the first section) is going to represent the long ago, a stove w/burners (in the middle section) will represent grandparents time and a microwave (in the last section)will show the present day. Then draw a kettle over the fire, a pan on the stove and a light on in the microwave w/a bowl next to it (open to suggestions for pictures). Discuss how popcorn would have, or is, cooked in each.
Step 6.
When finished with whole-group demonstration, pass out paper and help them fold into 3 sections. Then allow them to create their timeline using your demonstrated guidelines. As they're drawing, circulate and ask them to tell you which picture shows the different times and how popcorn was cooked during each time period.
Step 7.
Eat popcorn when they're done!
Step 8.
Remember: This is written for one lesson, one period, and can be taken in many directions from here. Historically for accuracy and economics. Exploring the various types of corn and how it's used, where it's grown, etc. Keep in mind, it's Kindergarten!
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