Mrs. Sommers

Advanced Life Skills - Foods Program:

Thank you Greenland Womens' Club for your generous donation of our new Kitchen Aid stand mixer! Class of 2013

In July 2008, renovations in the old basement cafeteria began. Within a couple of months, construction was completed and our middle school Life Skills Program students (15 boys and 4 girls) began utilizing a new kitchen and adjoining classroom! Special thanks to Ricci Construction, the GPO, and our School Board for making this long-awaited dream happen!

Advanced Life Skills: Foods and Nutrition is a ten-week course for eighth grade students. It builds upon the curriculum unit "Healthy Snacks and the Food Guide Pyramid" that incoming students took last spring. It is a participation course with the goal of deepening each student's interest in and knowledge of foods, nutrition, and cooking. While there will be quizzes and written work, the intent is for students to do most of their learning in the presence of food - in the Foods Lab, in cookbooks and food magazines, in farmers' markets or grocery stores, and in restaurant-like settings. Students will be in the Foods Lab a minimum of two times per week.

Course Highlights:

Foods Labs- allow students to experience a variety of foods and food prep skills using different tools while reinforcing classroom concepts.

Teacher & Chef Demos- model and emphasize techniques and skills being learned.*

Culminating Service Project- At the end of each term, students will prepare and serve a luncheon for 12 - 16 deserving members of our greater Greenland community under the guidance of Chef Tom Marshall, owner of Mizuna's, and Mrs. Sommers. Results of this project will count as a test grade.

Foods Class Recipes- Blueberry Crumb Muffins, Grilled Vegetable Lasagna, Apple and Apricot Buttermilk Scones with Maple Glaze, Frozen Fruit and Yogurt Cups, Classic Crepes, Taco Soup, Veggie Focaccia Sandwiches, Rigatoni with Ricotta, Tomato, and Basil, Omelets with Tomato, Cheese, and Fresh Herbs, Garden Salad with Croutons and Homemade Ranch Dressing, Mini Frittatas,

Fresh Fruit Salad with Honey Vanilla Yogurt, and more!!

SAU 50 Top Chef Competition- At the end of each quarter, the best all around performing student will be designated GCS's "Top Chef" for that term. At the end of the school year, our four Top Chefs will compete in a friendly cooking competition with four students from Rye Junior High. The winner of this contest will be crowned "SAU 50's Top Chef".

Course Requirements:

Home Cooking Assignment- While most work will be completed in class, students will be required to cook at home three times. (No box mixes, must measure at least three ingredients, and must clean up). Each home assignment

will count as a quiz grade.

Foods Class Binder- Students will be responsible for keeping all assignments, recipes, and other written work in their Foods Class binders. Unannounced binder checks will count as a quiz grade. A binder check at the end of the term will count as a final exam grade.

A section entitled "Notes on Cooking" will include "timeless gems of cooking wisdom that have been taught and passed down by top chefs for generations".

Source: Notes on Cooking - A Short Guide to an Essential Craft

by Lauren Braun Costello and Russell Reich, 2009.

Course Topics:

Kitchen Equipment
Measuring Techniques
Food Safety & Sanitation
Reading/Altering Recipes
    Cooking Terminology & Procedures
Dietary Guidelines & Essential Nutrients
Teamwork in the Kitchen

Principles of Baking & Functions of Ingredients
Food Careers

and more!

*We are very appreciative of the support and expertise provided by people such as the Greenland Women's Club, Chef Melody Polakow, Chef/Owner Tom Marshall of Mizuna's, Chef/Owner Jeff Semprini of Country View Restaurant, Chef/Owner Kathy Gallant of Blue Moon Market & Cafe, Jim Collins and the Culinary Team at Seacoast School of Technology, staff members Laura Deely, Mary Mitchell, Kim Bolton, Maryann Misiaszek, Warren Ducharme, Marian Connelly, Principal Peter Smith, and our many GCS parents who have enthusiastically shared their cooking knowledge and skills with our students!

Please click on "Cooking, Food, and Nutrition Links" at left
to view slideshows of cooking activities and Chef demos.

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