We started My Big Helper’s book club seven years ago, and it’s still going strong – and it’s growing a bit this year, thanks to a fantastic middle-grade book by Laurel Remington.
When I first read Secrets and Scones last school year, I knew it would make a perfect book club read. With themes of anti-bullying, friendship, how to handle social media, and the value of both youth and the elderly in society, there’s much to discuss.
Even though the story is inherently serious, however, there’s great potential for fun. As it centers around Scarlett’s burgeoning relationship with the elderly Mrs. Simpson next door and the secret cooking club that begins in her kitchen, there’s a wealth of tasty recipes to cook and sample. As the story progresses, even more options arise with as they take their skills out on the town – and to the world of blogging.
We started this year off with a fairly typical book club meeting. We discussed the book – and the girls went deeper with their discussion than ever – yay! We also baked cinnamon scones, the first dish that Scarlett makes in Mrs. Simpson’s kitchen.
After that, we veered off into the land of tech. We had much to do – and to find out about our newest book-related project, come back later this week for all the details!
In the meantime, start planning your own fun book-and-cooking club event! This book has so very much fun, learning potential that I created some resources to help you celebrate this with your own students.
These discussion questions and creative writing prompts will help your students dig into the heart of the story cooperatively through discussion and through writing. You’ll save time and energy with these print-ready resources.
If you want to get a bit more hands-on with this book, however, these Book Club Projects are the way to go. You’ll find ideas for bringing in guest speakers, recipes to take straight to the kitchen, and even directions for hosting your own charity fundraiser.
If you’re all in with this book, this is the resource for you! This ELA Bundle includes both of the above products for a discounted price, meaning you can start this unit tomorrow and save money, too.
Do you cook with your kids? Your students? I’d love to hear about your experiences! Let me know in the comments below – and remember to stop back later this week to learn more about The Secret Chefs’ Cooking Club and blog!
