Part of Lesson Plan: The Cook's Tools

Activity Overview / Details

I will then usually hold up a chef's knife, asking first what it is called and then ask how they can tell if the knife I am holding is of quality. Next a saucepan and ask the same two things.    From here, I ask the students to get out the homework.  I will ask one student to tell the class an advantage of aluminum, then another to tell us a disadvantage of glass.  After a few random reviews of the paper, I ask a student to tell the class the disadvantages of Stainless Steel over Copper. There are none. How about stainless steel over aluminum? Again, there are none.  They are moderate in price, have strong heating capabilities and are easy to clean.  So you say, then what is the best set of pots and pans to have? Well, either of these.  The aluminum is a little less expensive so for a new person out on their own these are the best to buy.  This activity is usually collected and reviewed for completeness.  Answers vary in wording from student to student but I mainly look for at least one advantage and one disadvantage in each box, with the exception of disadvantages in Stainless Steel categories. Again, students are correct if they have not written any disadvantages in those areas.