What to say
Begin this lesson with a discussion of favorite breads. Which group on the MyPlate has bread in it? What other food is in that group? What is your favorite bread? Today we’re going to have some fun learning about how bread is made.
What to do
- Read The Little Red Hen. Talk about the steps in making bread:
- The hen planted a grain of wheat.
- The wheat grain grew up yellow and ripe.
- The hen cut the wheat, and then threshed it.
- The hen took the wheat to the mill to be ground into flour.
- The hen made bread with the flour.
- The hen ate the bread.
- Have the children act out the steps in making bread.
- The hen planted a grain of wheat – have the children bend down and pretend to plant the seeds of wheat.
- The wheat grain grew up yellow and ripe – have the children stand and reach up really high like a grain of wheat.
- The hen cut the wheat, and then threshed it – have the children pretend to cut the wheat and hold it in one hand and move the hand up and down to simulate threshing the wheat.
- The hen took the wheat to the mill to be ground into flour – have the children move their arm out in front of them in a circle as if grounding the wheat into flour.
- The hen made bread with the flour – have the children pretend to be kneading the bread dough by doing a kneading motion with their fingers.
- The hen ate the bread – have the children pretend to eat the bread.
- Finish the activity by talking about bread. Has anyone ever baked bread? What kind? Has anyone ever eaten whole wheat bread? Whole grain bread is a healthy choice.
