Collaboration

International collaboration project – “Discovering food from other cultures”

By

Adéle, Lise, Zenab and Jane.

What 

We are going to work on a project including correspondence between two classes in different countries. Each class will explain a recipe from their country via video that will then be sent to the other class, who will do the same. Each class will then try making the dish and taste it.

A feedback from both classes will follow.

Why 

Doing such a project will give the children the opportunity to discover a new culture in a different way, through their food.

The project should also improve language skills in English as a foreign language (reading, writing and oral skills).

Math skills will also be used when measuring ingredients. Especially f the students need to convert from cups to grams.

How 

In each country, the two classes will follow the following steps :

·      Brainstorming: traditional dishes, both main courses and desserts that pupils enjoy cooking/eating, and that they usually eat.

·      Vote: to pick out which dish will be chosen, the class will have a democratic vote. The criteria could be the difficulty in making the dish, the cost of the necessary ingredients and the amount of time it takes to make it.

·      Constitutions of two groups: one group will work on the main course and the other group will work on the dessert.

·      We will then need a sufficient amount of time to go through the different steps:

- find a recipe

- practice saying it / explaining it out loud (oral skills)

- take pictures of the ingredients

- decide who is going to do what (film, talk, cook)

- proceed to the cooking/filming part

- comment on the video to make the soundtrack

- editing the video.

·   Once the videos are done, each class will write a letter to the other class and explain what the dish is, why it was chosen, if there is anything particular about this dish (when is it eaten,…) etc.

Practical organization: while the teacher will be working on the project with one group of students, the rest of the class will be doing some individual/independent work by themselves.

Who 

·      Pupils who have classes in English/home-economics/new technologies.

·      Volunteer parents to help out during the cooking/filming and editing part. (+ cooking the other country’s dish)

·      Class teacher

When 

After a holiday, so that the children can be more inspired concerning dishes they usually eat.

The project is a success when both classes have sent out the video and tried making/testing the other class’ dish, and when both classes will have given and received feedback.

Where 

The project will take place in English class and at home as homework. The cooking will be done in the home economics room if there is one, otherwise in the school kitchen (cafeteria, teachers’ room). The editing can take place in the IT room if there is one, if not, it will take place in the classroom.