Navajo Ice Corn Meal

DESCRIPTORS

Curriculum Areas: Science (Navajo Ice Corn Meal)

Recommended Levels: 2nd

Time Frame: 30 min for 5 days

Tribal Affiliation: Navajo

Geographic Location: Rock Point Community School, Rock Point, Arizona

Developed by: Bessie Arnold

Email addresses of developers: bamba6@hotmail.com

Date lesson was developed: 07-24-01

INSTRUCTION

Goal: Students will:

Learn different ways of preparing corn meal

· Identify ice corn meal

Behavioral Objectives: Students will:

Discuss cultural food
Discuss the history and significance of corn
Listen to teacher demonstrating how the corn meal is made

American Indian Standards:

Develop awareness that observations and understandings of nature and ecological relationships traditionally formed an essential base of knowledge among American Indian cultures. [Understanding about scientific inquiry]

Prior Knowledge Needed: students will:

Learn cooking procedures
Prepare a meal using corn
Analyze the nutritional value of the corn meal

Lesson Summary and Performance Tasks:

The students will plan, prepare, and cook corn meal with the

Teacher guidance

Assessment:

Rubric
Checklist (observation of participation)
Portfolio (uses of corn and nutritional analysis)

Culture Content and Strategies:

The corn was essential to the Navajo Tribes and is currently being promoted as a “low fat” food with health benefits.
Others resources: senior citizens, community members, cultural teachers, and grandparents
Blue corn mesh, put in pan or bowl, and put on top of Hogan or house over night to freeze, than have it for breakfast.

Materials and Resources Needed:

Kitchen and cooking tools
Guest speaker to explain the history and cooking of the corn
Kernel corn
Nutritional charts
Consultants

Technology Integration:

Using the computer, research on the Internet the historical role of corn in Navajo life

Enrichment/Remediation:

Write a research paper or create PowerPoint presentation about the corn and collect corn recipe for a cookbook.