Are you in need of an easy and free valentine’s treat to make in February with your students? Look no further because you are going to want to save this post and share with other teachers. Why not make a SIMPLE Valentine’s Day Shake with your students for cooking group? You will both love it!
When making this easy and free Valentine’s Shake, I am going to guess that you might even have all of the ingredients on hand at home. Well, everything except for maybe the strawberry ice cream. This Valentine’s Day milkshake has only 4 ingredients in it!
-strawberry ice cream
-cool whip
-milk
-strawberries
Students will have fun learning to use a blender with this recipe and maybe even trying something new. It’s fun to take a break from a typical “food recipe” and try new things.
SKILLS TO WORK ON WITH THIS EASY + FREE VALENTINE’S TREAT
While making this delicious Valentine’s Shake, did you know that you will actually be working on some IEP goals as well? Why do you NEED this FREE little recipe? What exactly can you work on with students during this cooking activity? PLENTY OF THINGS! The best news? If you enjoy this recipe, there is an ENTIRE BUNDLE of February Visual Recipes to choose from! Check out the list below of skills to work on while making this valentine’s treat:
1. Following Directions
This recipe is purposefully called a VISUAL RECIPE. It is meant for any student to be able to follow directions and make, regardless of their reading ability. Did you know that when students have visuals to follow it actually BUILDS their confidence in reading?
2. Sequencing
Once students have followed the Valentine Shake recipe all the way through, you can have them sequence the steps. I love doing this extra step to see who was really paying attention while we were making the recipe together.
3. Reading
Cooking and following recipes always encourages reading which is one thing I love about it! I would typically have students help me read the ingredients list using the visual pictures. This is building their sight word base. However students are following along, they are using their READING SKILLS!
4. Measuring
What better way to get in some math skills than by doing an actual LIFE SKILL?! No matter your student’s ages, measuring is a skill that they NEED to learn.
5. Fine Motor-Pouring, Scooping, Pushing Buttons on Blender
When I ran cooking group in my classroom, sometimes I had my OT push in for group time. Do you know why? So many of the skills that we work on in cooking group are fine motor skills! In this recipe alone, students will be pouring milk, scooping ice cream and pushing buttons on the blender.
6. Comprehension
When you are finished making the recipe in class, have students complete the comprehension pages independently. One sheet asks what they made and if they liked it. The other comprehension sheet asks what tools and ingredients you used and students can circle the answers. This is the perfect follow-up activity for students to complete after group time!
7. Taking Turns
Cooking group is the PERFECT time to work on turn taking. “We can’t ALL pour the milk so Alyssa will pour the milk and then Michael will scoop the ice cream.”
8. Waiting
Waiting kind of goes hand in hand with turn taking. Both skills are difficult for students but a MUST to learn. Waiting their turn is something that not all students know how to do. Cooking group helps remind students that sometimes we have to wait. Waiting for someone to pour or waiting for the milk to be opened. Even waiting to eat the finished product until we finish the recipe!
9. Trying New Things
We ALL have picky eaters in our class, don’t we?! I always made my students take a “no thank you bite” before they could proclaim that they didn’t like something. Sometimes they do not even realize what they’re missing.
10. Independence!
Independence is another HUGE benefit of cooking group and making this easy and free Valentine’s treat. Following a recipe gives students the practice that they need for this real life skill. Did you know that you can easily fit in other life skills using only 10 minutes of your day? Check out this post all about easy ways to fit life skills in to your day!
WANT MORE THEMED IDEAS FOR FEBRUARY?
February is a short month but there are SO many fun things to discuss! Love, friendship, kindness, president’s day, groundhog’s day, Valentine’s Day… and the list goes on! Check out some fun activities to use in your special education classroom during the month of February:
February Visual Recipes for Cooking
Boardmaker Vocabulary Unit for February
Picture Comprehension for February
Cut & Paste Fine Motor Sheets: February
Simple Comprehension for February
