Active Engagement: Teaching Cooking Skills to Young Adults With Autism

Abstract

Objective: Develop and test curricula for elementary teachers to use in the classroom to fulfill requirements of school wellness policies. Target Audience: Elementary school teachers. Theory, Prior Research, Rationale: Information Processing Model, Media Literacy Theory. Description: ‘‘Making Media for a Healthier U’’ is a compendium of resources and curriculum that supports the Common Core, which could be used to fulfill school wellness policy’s nutrition education requirement. The materials were based on MyPlate curriculum, media literacy theory, and Information Processing Models. Six lessons with supporting materials (e.g., student booklets, PowerPoint slides) were provided to third-grade teachers. A field experiment with a control and implementation group assessed the effectiveness of the Nutrition andMedia literacy lessons. Evaluation: Ten classes (intervention 1⁄46 classes, N1⁄4144; control1⁄44 classes, N1⁄486) in a high-poverty Chicago suburb participated in the field study. Pre and posttests measured knowledge of food groups and food attitudes and beliefs. Qualitative information was gathered from classroom observations and feedback from teachers for program improvement. Conclusions and Implications: The intervention group demonstrated a significant increase in knowledge of the food groups and the knowledge positively correlated with favorable food attitudes and beliefs. Children demonstrated media literacy through advertising analysis and production of advertising for carrots. Five of the intervention classes completed 6 hours of nutrition and media literacy in two weeks that engaged the children’s reading, math, art and language skills. Based on teacher feedback and classroom observation, teacher-training workshops are planned for curriculum expansion, refinement and testing. Funding: None.