Can We Have the Recipe?

Can We Have the Recipe? – Teach One Reach OneScripture: Genesis 25-26

Learning Objectives:

  • Students will review the story of Jacob and Esau.
  • Students will learn Jacob convinced Esau to give him his birthright by giving him some stew.
  • Students will learn how to write clear instructions for recipes.
  • Students will participate in an activity allowing them to practice writing clear instructions.

Guiding Question: How does one write clear instructions for a recipe?

Materials: cookbooks or recipe cards, large colorful index cards, plain white paper, pens, markers (Optional items need to combine all of the class recipes into a book or pdf)

Procedure: Review the story of Jacob and Esau and the stew exchanged for the birthright. Explain to the students that we don’t know if Jacob used a written recipe, but he may have been using a recipe his mother had shared with him. Share the recipe cards or cookbooks with the students. Have them read the instructions for a recipe. How does the author make the instructions clear enough for someone to follow them correctly? Give each student an index card. Have them write one of their mother’s recipes on the card. Have them use their memories to write the ingredients and the instructions for the recipe. (It doesn’t have to be “right”.) Have students read their instructions to the class. Do the other students have any questions because the instructions aren’t clear enough? Have students edit their recipes if needed and glue the card to the sheet of plain paper, illustrating it with a picture of the dish. Combine the recipe pages into a class cookbook.
Additional Questions:

  • What other types of things need clear written instructions?

Supplemental Activity: Have more advanced students think of another time when someone might need clear, written instructions. Have them research how those types of instructions are written and try writing their own instructions for something similar.