LESSON PLAN TEMPLATE

Your Name: Katie Barton

Title of Lesson: Where Do Muddy Buddies Come From
Grade: 6th
STANDARDS
4.RI.5 Describe the overall structure (e.g., chronology, comparison, cause/effect, and problem/solution) of events,
ideas, concepts, or information in a text or part of a text.
(Science Concept 3) PO 2. Form a logical argument about a correlation between variables or sequence of events
(e.g., construct a cause- and-effect chain that explains a sequence of events).
(Social Studies Strand 5) PO 2. Determine how scarcity, opportunity costs, and trade-offs influence decisionmaking.
LESSON SUMMARY/OVERVIEW
During this lesson plan the class will brainstorm what is takes to make Muddy Buddies through the process of
systems thinking. The class will begin by the teacher passing out the homemade snack to each student. After
enjoying the treat, the class will list all of the ingredients it takes to make the dessert. Once the ingredients are listed
on the board the class will list resources and other aspects of each ingredient on the board, this will help students
step by step realize how many resources are used in each step of production of a product. As Americans it is not
very often that we are thoughtful about the food we buy and consume. By going through this lesson the class will be
more mindful when making purchases and wasting food.
OBJECTIVES
By the end of the lesson students will be able to list different parts of a whole food with an understanding of systems
thinking.
ASSESSMENT/EVALUATION
By the end of the lesson students will be able to list different parts and resources needed of a whole food (given by
the instructor) with 80% accuracy compared to the teachers key.
PREREQUISITE KNOWLEDGE
Student will need to know how to brainstorm.
Students will need to understand what makes up a product.
Students will be able to break a whole product into smaller, more specific parts.
MATERIALS
Muddy Buddies, white board, expo markers, notebook paper, pencils, Internet, and answer key.
VOCABULARY/KEY WORDS
Sustainability (n): the quality of not being harmful to the environment or depleting natural resources, and thereby
supporting long-term ecological balance.
Muddy Buddies (n): rice cereal coated with melted chocolate, peanut butter, and powdered sugar.
Systems Thinking (v): is the process of understanding how things, regarded as systems, influence one another within
a whole.

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TEACHING PROCEDURES
To get the students attention on a new subject the teacher will pass out a bag of Muddy Buddies to each
student. As the class enjoys the sweet treat she will ask them to brainstorm the ingredients needed to make
the recipe.
The class will start brainstorming the ingredients while the instructor writes the ideas on the board.

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Once the list is finalized the instructor will ask the students to work with the students sitting around them to
brainstorm the different parts and resources needed for one specific ingredient.
a. The list should include:
Rice cereal
Semi sweet chocolate chips
Peanut butter
Butter
Powdered sugar
The students will break into their groups and can use the Internet or any other resources needed to discover
how the product is made or what each product is made up of.
Once the groups are finished brainstorming what resources are needed to make their one ingredient they
will come to the board and write their list on the board beside the ingredient.
After each group is finished writing their finding on the board the instructor will go over each groups
findings and reiterate how many resources are used in each step of the process of making food. The
instructor will also
In their groups the students will be given a food from the instructor and they must go through the process
done as a class alone to create a list of different resources and steps needed to make a simple food.
Although some students will have the same food they must work independently to create their own lists to
be checked by the teachers key.
a. The foods given to the class will be:
A hamburger
Chili
Nachos
Monster cookies
Once the students are finished compiling their list they will have the instructor check it with their key for
80% accuracy.

RESOURCES
Koster, A. (Director) (2014, September 18). Food. Lecture conducted from , Tempe.
WAYS OF THINKING CONNECTION
This lesson plan connects to systems thinking because students will brainstorm different parts of a final product and
where each part comes from as well as what would happen if there were a shortage of a particular part of the
product.