Jan. 24, 2020 -- Monticello language arts teacher Angela Kirkland likes to celebrate literature with her students in a relaxed and fun way. For years, the 6th grade teacher has organized a Read & Feed, where students and family members discuss a novel while enjoying snacks before Winter Vacation. This year, she switched things up by introducing students to Write & Bite with a special snack twist.

Working with Deborah Frost, the building’s Gifted Intervention Specialist and the district’s Power of the Pen coordinator, Ms. Kirkland spent a few weeks mimicking the creative writing competition by introducing writing prompts to her students and having them craft their own creative responses.

Students were then invited to select their favorite piece to read aloud to family members and district stakeholders at a classroom Write & Bite. But these were not ordinary bites they enjoyed.

Ms. Frost had recently been to a Chopped-style event and suggested that every student write down the name of a single food item on a slip of paper. Ms. Kirkland then pulled four slips to determine the ingredients every student would use to prepare the food for the event.

The four foods she pulled? Sugar, caramel sauce, mozzarella cheese, . . . and chicken.

“I thought about switching it,” she said. “But once the students got over their initial shock, they went to town.”

The food they created was “phenomenal.” And the process they employed to get there was invaluable. Not only did they have to think outside the box and use some trial-and-error, but “they really had to articulate to their families what it was they were doing,” said Ms. Kirkland. “There was a lot of communication back and forth, especially about whether they could use other ingredients in addition to those four.” 

They could and they did, creating countless creative appetizers. “There was so much food,” said Ms. Kirkland. “But not one bite went to waste.”

She was impressed by how students embraced the entire event. “They were so proud of themselves and so proud and supportive of each other’s writing and of each other’s creations.”

Ms. Kirkland definitely plans to do this again in the future. “I wouldn't tweak a thing,” she said. “Except maybe the chicken.”