Time: Very fast (15 minutes) to a full class-period (45-50 minutes). Timing depends on group size and diversity of discussion.
Materials: Spices (loose, bottled, etc. that learners can taste/smell)(try to get at least enough for each learner to have two different spices); worksheet on spices (see below); (optional) write-up on the history and uses of each spice – prepare these as separate sheets of paper so that they can be distributed individually
Learning objectives: Learners will be able to:
- Describe examples of relationships between particular spices and socio-historical events.
- Associate specific spices with their geographic place of origin, plant family, and part used.
- Contrast the history of two assigned spices based on their origins, plant family, and part used.
- Discuss one or more spices that have been impactful in their own lives.
Desired setting: A shaded outdoor space, preferably with some spice plants growing nearby would be ideal. However, an open classroom space large enough to hold all of the learners while standing would be sufficient.
Learning sequence:
- Do not distribute the materials for this session until later...
- Begin with a group discussion of what they know about spices, including naming some that they might use. If the conversation tapers off, ask about spices that characterize certain kinds of foods (e.g., Thai, Chinese, and Italian). If historical (warfare, colonization, slavery, revolutions, or plantations) or cultural (health, cuisine, personal identity) concepts do not emerge, then ask if these have had anything to do with the history of spices around the world. Continue for 5-10 minutes.
- “What sorts of spices does your family use?”
- “Are there any spices that are unusual among the learners?”
- Pass out spice worksheet.
- Bring out a box with different spices in it and ask each learner to quickly select two from the box (if this is a large group, then randomly pass out the spices in order to save time). (If using the optional histories, then distribute these matching the spices.)
- Ask learners to quickly find their spices on the worksheet (or to read about it on the optional histories). Note the information for each of the two spices (part used, origin, plant family).
- Ask all of the learners to stand up in an open area holding one spice in each hand. (May need to plan for a slightly different way to do this if there handicapped/disabled learners. If the group is small enough then each spice can be labeled with colored dots and learners responsible for two spices with the same color. The learners sit around a table or on the floor in a circle and place the spices between them then follow the directions below.)
- Call out each of the following directions and demonstrate with two spices how learners should respond (i.e., hold out each hand with a different spice in it and form groups of hands/spices in the space between learners). The effect will be a twisted mix of learners with some having their arms stretched out to be in different groups that cannot collocate. Continue to ask questions for 5-10 minutes.
- “Please sort the spices by plant part.” (After they do, ask them to call out which is the most common).
- “Please sort the spices by continent of origin.” (After they do, ask to call out which is most common. Also, ask if they have ideas about why some continents have so few.)
- “Please sort the spices by plant family.” (After they do, ask them to call out the largest families for spices. Also, ask if they have ideas about why some families might have more than others.)
- Other questions may be generated and used that get at the key concepts.
- Now that the learners have interacted with each other in different ways through the exercise, ask some of the following kinds of questions:
- “What have you learned about history of spices from what we just did?”
- “The products used in this example represent ‘commercial spices’. What might be a difference between these and local spices that are not commercialized?”
- “Are there any spices on the list provided that you think are typical of certain foods or mark ethnicity?”
- “Do any of you know health claims for any of these spices? (depending on the response…) “How could health claims in the past affect the ways that our ancestors decided to use these plants?”
- Conclude with a suggestion that learners pass the spices around and smell/taste ones that they might not have heard about before.
Key concepts:
- The histories of spices are complicated including issues such as warfare, colonization, slavery, plantations, revolutions, heath, cuisine, and personal identity.
- All cultures use some sort of spices, but the natural distribution of these does not appear to be uniform. Cultures living in places where spices are naturally common may have had more opportunity to develop them.
- There are many more spices than most people know. The sheet provided is not even close to complete, but is examples of the more common internationally traded spices.
Summary: Almost everyone uses some spices. Sometimes these are used as food flavorings, other times they are used as medicines, and sometimes they are a little of each. Spices are important markers of personal culture and also tell about some of the history of foods/cuisine and opportunities people have had in the past.
Assessment:
- A formative pre-test can be passed out that asks open-ended questions about the key concepts and learning objectives of this exercise and then at the end is revisited as a group reinforcement of key concepts.
- An informal formative assessment may be conducted as a group pre-test (without a test) through the initial process of asking questions about learner’s knowledge of spices. Asking similar questions after the exercise is done will allow for a rough comparison and also re-emphasize what is important.
- The same sorts of questions used above can be used in a summative assessment (exam, quiz).
Optional follow-up assignments:
- Learners conduct a survey of spices found in their own homes. Note that many will be hidden ingredients in processed foods. See if they can find ones that are not included on the list provided. This could be a competition to see who can find the most diversity (species, families, parts, origins).
- Learners read formal definitions of spices, flavorings, etc. on the Internet and then develop their own definition that matches how they are used within their family. In a follow-up meeting learners compare experiences.
- Learners select 2-3 spices and explore how they are used medicinally. Do medicinal and food uses differ? Can distinct definitions for food and medicine be developed, or is there overlap? Write about their own experience with this.
- Learners visit an ethnic restaurant and interview the owner/manager.
Written materials distributed to students: