Theme: Use the book, Saturdays and Teacakes, to introduce your students to grandmothers, grandparents, “grand friends”, life in the 1960s, suburban life and the science/math of cooking.
Pre-reading: Show the students the cover of the book, read its title and the names of the author and illustrator. Ask students what they think the book will be about. Next, show the illustration of the boy on the bike. Ask the class where they think he’s going? Is he happy? Now, ask them what they think the book is about?
This story takes place in Heflin, Alabama. Have the students look at a map of the United States and find out where the state of Alabama and the city of Heflin are located.
Reading: As you read and show the illustrations, have the students study the images. What details can they find in the pictures? Have them look closely at the expressions of the boy in the story. How do his expressions change? How is he feeling throughout the story? Can you tell by the illustrations?
Geography: Have students plan a trip to Alabama. Compare the weather between Alabama and where you live. Is the weather in Alabama hotter, colder, wetter, or more humid than where you are?
Estimate how long will it take from the school to Alabama by train, bus or plane. How many miles away is Heflin, Alabama and your school? What will you need to bring on the trip –food, clothes, books etc. What does the class think they will see along the way — rivers, mountains, lakes, deserts, plains, farms, factories, cities etc.
Connecting Generations: Want to get closer to another generation? Kids can interview grandparents or “grand friends” 50 or older about their hopes and goals in life. How did their dreams change as they got older? What major obstacles did they overcome in life? What things in life were most rewarding to them?
Local Geography: If the students were riding on their bicycle, how long will it take them to get to their grandparents home? Would they be able to bike that far? What will they see along the way? What will they need to bring on the trip?
Science: Teach the class how to tell a hard boiled egg from a raw one by spinning a boiled egg and a raw egg at the same time. Stop both eggs witht the tip of your finger. The boiled egg will stop completely, but the raw egg will slowly turn again because of the liquid content inside.
Make Math Delicious: Have students bring an apron from home and make the batter for Mammaw’s Teacakes. Compare a dozen eggs vs. 1/2 dozen. Use spoons to measure the vanilla. Use a measuring cup for 3 1/2 cups of flour. Use the two sticks of butter to calculate fractions. Form the cookies in various geometric shapes: squares, circles, rectangles, triangles, etc.
Literature: Look for other books by Lester L. Laminack such as The Sunsets of Miss Olivia Wiggins and Trevor’s Wiggly Wobbly Tooth. If you enjoyed Saturdays and Teacakes, write a review and post it on Amazon or Barnesandnoble so others can share your reading experience.
If you enjoyed reading Saturday and Teacakes write a review about the book and post it on Amazon.com or Barnesandnoble.com so others can enjoy your reading experience.
More Saturdays and Teacakes Lesson Plans
Created by Peachtree Publishers
Mammaw Thompson’s Teacakes
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Gather these ingredients (Mammaw always used these brands, but you can substitute your own brands):
- 2 sticks of Blue Bonnet margarine
- 3½ cups of Martha White self-rising flour
- 2 cups of Dixie Crystals sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 3 teaspoons of vanilla flavoring
- Blend margarine and sugar until creamy. Beat eggs and blend. Add vanilla, then flour, and blend. (You can blend the ingredients with a potato masher, then stir with a long wooden spoon.) Gather the mixture into a loose ball and sprinkle lightly with flour.
- Lightly flour the surface you’ll use for rolling, then roll out the dough.
- Next remove about half of the dough onto the cutting surface and roll it out with a rolling pin to a thickness of about ¼ inch. Cut circles in the dough with a teacup, glass, or cookie cutter about 2-3 inches in diameter. (Dip the rim of the cup in flour between cuttings to prevent the dough from sticking.)
- Place the circles on a baking sheet that has been lightly buttered or use a nonstick baking sheet. Set the cookies about 1 inch apart on all sides. Sprinkle sugar lightly over each cookie.
- Repeat for the second half of the dough. (Refrigerate the dough if it will sit for more than 10 minutes. Chilled dough is easier to roll out and cut.) This recipe should produce a batch of about 40 teacakes.
- Place the cookies in the preheated oven for about 15 minutes. The cookies are done when they are lightly browned. Remove them from the oven and let them cool a little before you lift them off the baking sheet to eat them
(This delicious recipe for teacakes is from Lester L. Laminack’s teaching guide on the Peachtree Publisher’s website)
