Materials

• Chart paper
• Drawing paper
• Markers, crayons, pencils
• Food magazines (for cutting)
• Glue or glue stick
• Child safety scissors

1. Develop an alphabetized list of "food" words with the children to stimulate their ideas. Write the alphabet down the left side of one or more sheets of chart paper. Ask the children to think of "food" words for each letter of the alphabet. Record the children's comments. Be creative if the children cannot think of a food word for some of the letters. Children can also gather ideas from pictures found in food magazines, cookbooks, or advertisements.
2. Have each child choose a letter of the alphabet. Provide the children with the suggested art materials. Ask children to write their alphabet letter at the top of their paper. Offer assistance if needed.
3. Explain to the children that they can either draw their food or cut out pictures of it from magazines. Encourage the children to be creative and have fun. Assist the children in writing the words that describe their pictures on their alphabet poster.
4. Invite the children to share their completed alphabet posters at circle time. Find an area in the classroom or hallway to assemble the entire mural.

Materials

• Sentence strips or drawing paper
• Marker

1. Explain to the children that they will think of words that rhyme with the food words that they placed on their alphabet posters.
2. Choose a few letters each day during group time. Ask the children to create a list of rhyming words for each poster. Attach a sheet of paper below each alphabet poster and record the children's rhymes. Rhymes do not have to be real words.
3. After the children have listed a few rhyming words, assist them in creating rhyming sentences, i.e., "I ate a cookie and read a bookie" or "I like tomato sauce on my ziti, and I like socks on my feetie." Record their rhyming sentences below their rhyming words.

Materials

• Drawing paper
• Markers, crayons, pencils
• Index cards
• Cookbook or recipe cards
• Hole punch, binder rings, or yarn

1. Explain to the children that they will create an alphabetical cookbook with a recipe for every letter of the alphabet. Tell the children that they will write a recipe explaining how a particular food is prepared.
2. Engage the children in a conversation about recipes. Ask the children to share what they already know about a recipe. Share a cookbook or recipe cards with the children. Show the children how the recipes list different measurements and ingredients. Ask the children to explain why they think it is important to list measurements and ingredients in a recipe.
3. Invite a small group of children to the work area. Provide the children with drawing and writing materials. Tell the children to draw a picture of a food on one side of their paper and write the recipe for it on the opposite side. Work with individual children to assist them in writing or dictating the recipes.

   Remember: The recipes will be the children's versions of recipes.

4. After the children have completed their pages, invite a few children to create a cover for the cookbook. Bind the pages together. Share the children's cookbook during reading time. Place the book in the class library or pretend area for the children to enjoy alone or with friends. Photocopies of the cookbook make wonderful family gifts.

   Additional Idea: Send a note home to families requesting they send in a real recipe for a specific letter of the alphabet. Request that the parents include their child in the process of finding and recording the recipe. Include the real recipes along with the children's recipes in the final cookbook.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2cups warm water
• 1 envelope yeast
• 4 cups flour
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 egg

1. Record the recipe on a sheet of chart paper for the children to follow as they prepare the dough. Gather the following cooking materials: trays, waxed paper, measuring cups and spoons, 3 mixing bowls, a mixing spoon, an egg beater, a baking sheet, and a small pasty brush. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Remind everyone to wash their hands before beginning the cooking activity.
2. Invite children to mix the warm water, yeast, and honey in a bowl. Set the mixture aside for about 5 minutes. Mix the salt and flour in another bowl. Add the yeast mixture to the salt and flour mixture, and stir together. Beat the egg in another bowl, and set it aside.
3. Provide all of the children with a clean tray or sheet of waxed paper, taped to the table, to work on. Explain to the children that they will each get a mound of pretzel dough. Ask the children to make one letter of the alphabet. They can use the remaining dough to create any shape they desire. Some children may enjoy writing their initials with the dough or even spelling their names. Encourage the children to experiment with the dough. The more they work with the dough, the thicker their baked pretzels will be.
4. Brush the completed pretzels with the beaten egg to make them shiny. Place the pretzels on a baking sheet, and place it in the oven for 12 minutes. Serve the pretzels right away to prevent them from getting too hard. Invite the children to show their friends their pretzel creations before they eat them all up! Enjoy!