The Spark Creativity Teacher Podcast | ELA
Education:How To
This week I want to talk about the literary food truck project and why it’s time to try it if you haven’t yet!
Since I designed this project many years ago, I’ve heard from sooo many teachers about how well it worked for them as an engaging AND analytical way to wrap up their choice reading or book club unit. I got three lovely notes from teachers this very week, and each one had me grinning from ear to ear.
I know it can be hard to find a project that doesn’t make you feel like the book police, but this one checks all the boxes.
Here’s the basic premise. Students in groups or partnerships imagine they are creating a food truck based on the book they’ve just read. The menu, social media accounts, playlist, apparel, etc. will all flow directly from their understanding of the text. They’ll create the props and make the food items that will make their final display pop for their classmates, and then explain them in a more analytical paper.
On the day of the festival, students have a chance to wander from booth to booth, seeing the visuals for each truck, tasting menu items, exploring how the different books have inspired different themes, and getting ideas for their TBR lists. Because of the fun format, students don’t feel like they’re being quizzed on their books so much as being invited to share them. The final festival becomes a buzzworthy school event, and something that easily rolls over into an anticipated tradition.
So this week, I want to highly recommend you try a literary food truck project of your own. You can grab the free curriculum for this project right here.
Go Further:
Explore alllll the Episodes of The Spark Creativity Teacher Podcast.
Join our community, Creative High School English, on Facebook.
Come hang out on Instagram.
Enjoying the podcast? Please consider sharing it with a friend, snagging a screenshot to share on the ‘gram, or tapping those ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ to help others discover the show. Thank you!
197: Highly Recommended: Canva
196: How Caitlin's Verse Novel Book Clubs Engaged Seniors 'til the End
195: Highly Recommended: The High School Classroom Library
194: 4 Graphic Storytelling Activities from Graphic Novelist Laura Lee Gulledge
193: Highly Recommended: The Libro FM Educator Program
192: Who's on your New Pride Month Display?
191: Highly Recommended: Jason Reynolds
190: My Top Contemporary Text Ideas for your ELA Classes
189: Highly Recommended: My Shakespeare
188: Feel like it's Impossible to Teach it All (Part II)
187: Highly Recommended: The Dark Matter of Mona Starr
186: Feel like it's Impossible to Teach it All? (Part I)
185: Highly Recommended: Faculty Fun
184: How to Celebrate AAPI Heritage Month with this Interactive Display
183: Highly Recommended: Time-Saving Templates
182: Want to Support Student Well Being? I Know! (Here's Help)
181: Highly Recommended: John Spencer's Video Writing Prompts
180: The One about Eastern Europe
179: Highly Recommended: SBB's Baths vs. Showers
178: Struggling to Make it to the End of the Year? Try this.
Create your
podcast in
minutes
It is Free
LifeBlood
Navigating Life After 40
Science of Reading: The Podcast
How To!
The Minimal Mom