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2.4: Pasta families


This activity encourages students to recognise that we all have many features in common but also have many differences.

Tasks

  1. Collect different shaped pasta, e.g. spaghetti, macaroni, lasagne, penne, shells (including coloured vegetable varieties) and place in a large container.
  2. Encourage students to explore the mixed pasta in the large container. Discuss with the class the different shapes, colours and sizes.
  3. Ask students to sort each variety of pasta into smaller containers. Ask the students to describe a special feature of each variety e.g. long, orange, flat, shell-shaped etc, as they sort.
  4. Discuss with the class the idea that while the varieties of pasta look different, they also have much in common such as the ingredients, the making, the cooking the nutritional value and they all belong to the pasta family.
  5. Ask students to paste the pasta onto pieces of card in any design they wish. They may use one or many varieties.
Teacher Notes
  1. This activity encourages students to recognise that we all have many features in common but also have many differences.
  2. Students may need to be assisted to see the parallel between the pasta and themselves.
Adapted from an activity, Pasta Power, in HALL, Nada Saderman, Creative Resources for the Anti-bias Classroom Delmar, 1999.
Resources
  • Collection of different shaped pasta (including a large container to put them in)
  • Same number of containers as varieties of pasta
  • A4 card
  • Paste or sticky tape