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Fraction Packed: Fairplains Elementary School students get tasty math lesson

By Larry Launstein Jr. 2 min read

PARKERSBURG -- Third graders at Fairplains Elementary School gained real-world experience Wednesday by learning to use fractions and measurements to make M&M cookies during the Fairplains Fraction Cooking Show.

The event was more than a learning experience, it also was a bonding opportunity between children and parents.

Brittany Sheppard, a third-grade teacher, said, "In third grade, we introduce fractions, and so we thought that cooking is a great way to help students use those fractions that they have been learning about and especially apply it to real-life skills that they need."

Another goal of the event is to bring the parents and families involved with the school, Sheppard said.

Sheppard, in her first year as a third-grade instructor, said that she wanted to help keep the tradition the school was trying to build with this event going. She also said that the kids look forward to the fraction cooking show, and that the younger students cannot wait to get into third grade so they can also participate in this event.

Sheppard said they found a recipe that worked for them perfectly, with dry ingredients put in a mason jar so the students and parents could finish making their cookies when they got home.

Here's how to fill the ingredients into the jar so one can make the cookies at home:

* Step 1: add 1 1/3 cups of flour.

* Step 2: add 1 teaspoon baking powder.

* Step 3: add 1 teaspoon of baking soda.

* Step 4: add 1/4 teaspoon of salt.

* Step 5: add 1 cup of oats into the jar.

* Step 6: add 1/3 cup of M&Ms.

* Step 7: add 2/3 cup of chocolate chips.

* Step 8: add 1/2 cup of brown sugar.

* Step 9: add 1/2 cup of white sugar.

All students were also given the book "Kid Chef Every Day" by Colleen Kennedy.

Larry Launstein Jr. can be reached at llaunstein@newsandsentinel.com.

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