SOCIAL STUDIES
Inventing a New and Wonderful Cookie!

Submitted by: I Love That Teaching Idea! Staff
From: Nibley, Utah
Date Submitted: April 12, 2001

Read to your students from the book, Mistakes that Worked by Charlotte Foltz Jones. There are numerous stories in this book about inventions that were invented by mistake, but ended up working! Read about the invention of the chocolate chip cookie.
Then divided your class into small groups. Tell the children that they will invent their own cookie within their group. They must all decide what will be in their cookie, the shape of their cookie, and the new name of it. Next, pass out a sheet of paper to each group so the children can write down the ingredients of their cookie. They should also draw a picture of what their cookie will look like. Then name of their cookie should be written at the top of their paper. Finally, have your groups share their cookie invention with the whole class. Hang the posters in the room during their invention unit.
A fun extension of this activity is to pass out a small bag of cookie dough to each child. (You have made the dough beforehand.) Attach a note to their parents to be given with the cookie dough that explains your project. Each child should take the dough and add their own ingredients at home. Then they should bake the cookie at home and bring it to share the next day! Yummy!