SHAWNEE TOWNSHIP, OH (WLIO) - Social studies and culinary arts—two ends of the academic spectrum that met in the middle today at the Apollo Career Center.
It all started with a social studies lesson for students to learn about different customs, cultures, and foods in different parts of the world. Mrs. Roll—a social studies teacher at Apollo—contacted the chef of the culinary arts program and wanted to help her students bring tasty foreign creations to life with the help of the chef and his students. Some of the regions that featured food dishes were South America, Southeast Asia, and the Western Pacific. Both the social studies students and the culinary students worked together to prepare the food, allowing for teamwork and cooperation with two unlikely classes working as one.
"The government students washed up and took really good instructions. Chef was really good with giving them directions. His students were as well, and so they worked together to prepare the food. So I'm gonna be most of our building renovations students have never rolled sushi before, but they did today," said Melissa Roll, social studies teacher at Apollo Career Center.
The experience was a quick trip around the world of foods, allowing the students to have their studies come to life and elevate their learning.
"Education is so much more than just learning the facts. So we get that in government class. We do some activities, and we do some application, but when you actually, physically get to put another piece to it, it lends itself to a deeper understanding. And so anytime you can collaborate with another class, it not only deepens the understanding but also gives the students those connections," added Roll.
This was the first year of the collaboration between the culinary arts and social studies classes, with hopes to do it again next year.
