Popcorn Board Teaching Guide

The more things change, the more they stay the same. Take education for instance. There may be new approaches to teaching, but the basic goal remains constant: make learning interesting and fun so students get more out of their schooling.

One way to motivate students is to have them study subjects they can relate to, like food, for example. Americans of all ages love to eat and children especially like to snack. However, indulging in high-fat, calorie-dense foods can lead to weight gain and poor eating habits. Children should learn at an early age about the benefits of "smart snacking" so they can make choices they can feel good about. One snack food that always makes the grade is popcorn.

As a snack or complement to any meal, popcorn is delicious, easy to prepare and fun to eat. But best of all, it's good for you! In addition to its nutritional value, popcorn has historical, scientific and technological merit making this versatile food a perfect study-aid in any classroom setting.

The Popcorn Program is an interdisciplinary educational guide designed to introduce elementary school students (grades K-8) to popcorn and its many applications. In this package you will find lesson ideas for the following subjects: Social Studies, Mathematics, Language Arts, Science, Health and Consumer Science (Home Economics).

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Program PDF!

From a historical perspective, students will see popcorn has a genuinely American origin. As a science project, students can study how and why the tiny kernels pop. The nutrition section highlights popcorn's nutritional composition and how it supplies the body with energy to function properly. This section also features ways to enjoy popcorn as a healthy snack. The study section provides students with interesting ways to tie popcorn into their favorite subjects. In addition, your classes can sharpen their online skills and gather additional information by visiting the Popcorn Board's website.

The Popcorn Program offers a variety of study tips tailored to fit the needs of your students and curriculum. By focusing on this popular snack, projects can be fun as well as educational.

So get with the "program" and make learning about popcorn part of your future lesson plans.