Using Grills in the Family and Consumer Science Classroom
BBQ grills in a Family and Consumer classroom. Maybe you also have courtyard space at your building? Maybe you also want to think outside the classroom walls?
If you are looking for ways to take your Family and Consumer Science cooking labs to a new level, maybe grills are an idea!
(It should also be noted, these are flat top grills and not those with charcoal or grates).
A grant for the FACS room
The idea was formed, wouldn’t it be really cool to use grills? Grilling is a life skill. It’s a traditional in many homes.
My district has an educational foundation that provides yearly grants. I wrote the grant for $1,000 and originally intended for Blackstone grills, having one at home and knowing it would be of great use..
The grant committee needed to check with the district lawyers for safety. Understandable with junior high students using grills.
It was determined safe and I was awarded $1,000 to put towards the grills. We did decide to use Pitboss Sierra grills and were able to purchase four grills.
It should be noted that myself, or a teacher on plan time (who gets to guest judge the food) start the grills. We haven’t allowed students to start them for safety reasons. I always make sure to turn off the grills. After they are cool, students will clean and cover them
Planning for classroom grills
My classroom has a door to the courtyard. Over the years, an addition was added to the building and our Horticulture class has raised beds in the courtyard. Students are regularly using the courtyard and it is well-kept.
I did not want to take any space from the horticulture class and the four grills fit nicely under the room overhang, but out of the way of the raised beds. We didn’t need to move any of them. The ground is covered with large rock gravel.
I also wrote a second grant to another community organization to purchase grill covers and grilling utensils. The grills are covered when not in use to make sure they last as long as possible.
Cooking labs
We start by making pancakes on the grill. This is an easier lab, but also one that allows students to get an idea of grilling. A few might have experience helping at home, but usually a very small number of students.
There are also several labs students complete using the grills and all are very well received.
Smash burgers with secret sauce has been a huge hit and gives students a little freedom to customize burgers and sauce. They even grill bacon and onions if desired.
Fried rice is always a hit. If we have time, we cook the rice the day before and put it in the fridge. If we have block scheduling for standardized testing, we will create the entire lab in one day.
Other ideas are breakfast burritos, fajitas, and even dessert. One has suggested steak street tacos.
I always give my students the chance to provide end-of-lab feedback because I want the FACS course to be valuable and applicable to their lives. If they suggest something reasonable and relatively inexpensive…I try to make it happen.
Grill maintenance
If you have read about the kitchen reno, the PTA put a large portion of money from our building fundraiser towards my classroom for supplies. We were able to get new pots and pans, furnish the new fifth kitchen, among other kitchen supplies. We also used some of the money to get propane tanks for the grills.
While I still love our family Blackstone, it does require seasoning it for continued use. The Pitboss Sierra is a ceramic top and does not need to be seasoned.
These grills easily wipe clean with water and a cloth. I have been very pleased with the upkeep and students are able to take responsibility to make sure they are clean.
It started with a wild idea, but thinking outside the box has proved to be an awesome addition to the classroom.