For my genius hour project students task was to create a menu for their own hypothetical restaurant. The introduction of the project was for students to brainstorm ideas for food items and prices to include for their restaurant. The next day I handed out several different menus from restaurants in the area and the students filled out a noticings chart based on the different menus. Then they had a chance to explore the program they would use to design the menu. The website we used was called imenupro.com. Students could choose between many different layouts, and colors. All of the text was editable so they could change the food items and the pricing.
During this experience I realized that students needed more guidance when we were looking at the menus. I originally just had a blank chart when I did the project but after that day I went back and edited the word document to include some hints at the bottom for what kinds of things the students should be writing down. The website was free to use, so there were some restrictions. The menu was only able to be a page long and some students had more food items that could fit on the menu. I loved all of the different layouts and the kids had a great time choosing what they wanted their menu to look like. We did have some problems with saving the menus and uploading them to a shared folder, but I would use the site again. For lack of time, we didn't go into detail about profit or running a business. I briefly touched on how smaller sizes of plates would be less expensive than a bigger plate and how food with seafood is generally more expensive. However, I would have liked to discuss this further and have students create more realistic menus. Overall, the students enjoyed what they did and I was happy with the results.
I love the creativity that you embedded into this lesson. I would of loved to do this assignment when I was in school.
ReplyDeleteThis is awesome! You have given me so many ideas for my next PBL. I had already chose to have my students create a menu and compete to be the winner of food court wars. Your genius hour has made me want to create another genius hour to include in my PBL lesson. Great job!
ReplyDeleteHi Emily,
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed reading about your math menu Genius Hour project and from your description students clearly had choice, authenticity, and relevancy. I am wondering if you could include some sustained inquiry through having students research prices for items on their menus on restaurant menus online at other places in order for them to price compare and ensure that their menu prices were comparable to the current market. That would address the issue you saw with students' final products needing to be more realistic.
In class tonight I want to be able to show you examples of flexible and differentiated work contracts that may help provide students with support and accountability during their work time.
*The only thing we need for Genius Hour to be complete are student examples of their menus.
Thanks,
Dawn