Cooking for a

Change

Research Question
Does cooking with a child with Autism,
including following a recipe, improve their
performance on other fraction related
activities?

Impact
Finding a way for students with Autism
to learn better
Giving the students skills that they will
be able to use throughout their life

Hypothesis
If Autistic students learn fractions
through the use of cooking and recipes,
then they will retain fraction related
information better than Autistic
students that only learn fractions in a
regular classroom environment.

Background Research
Learn better through social interaction and
visually1
Cooking helps children with Autism to learn2
Technology also helps them learn more
effectively3
Similar Study: Chef Jimis Cooking for a
Cause4

Design and Methodology

Methodology:
1. Find location for the class- Mt. Horeb Lutheran Church
2. Figure out recipes and ingredients
3. Set dates and times for cooking class (December 4th-18th)
4. Advertise class
5. Purchase food for class
6. Test the students on current fraction performance
7. Cook with the students for once a week, for 5 weeks,
making sure that they have to measure and read fractions
8. Retest the children on the same fraction content as the
pretest
9. Compare the data of the pre-test and post-test using a
paired sample t-test

Variables
Control: Material learned, test criteria, time
participated
Independent: Attending a cooking class
Dependent: If the students improved on
fractions

Pre-Test Scores

Student A: 75 (3 out of 4)
Student B: 0 (0 out of 4)
Student C: 100 (4 out of 4)
Red= wrong answer
Green= right answer

Post-Test Scores

Student A: 75 (3 out of 4)
Student B: 50 (2 out of 4)
Student C: 50 (2 out of 4)
Red= wrong answer
Green= right answer

Advanced Pre-Test
Scores

Student A: 50 (1 out of 2)
Student B: Omit data due to complications taking
test
Student C: 50 (1 out of 2)

Red= wrong answer

Green= right answer

Advanced Post-Test
Scores

Student A: 50 (1 out of 2)
Student B: Omit data due to complications taking
test
Student C: 50 (1 out of 2)

Red= wrong answer

Green= right answer

Data Analysis: Pre-Test and

Post-Test

Compared pre and post scores using T-test

P-value: 0.5
Mean: 0
Standard Deviation: 50
120
Sample Size: 3
100
80
60
40

A
B
C

20
0
Pre-Test

Post-Test

Data Analysis: Advanced PreTest and Post-Test

Compared pre and post scores using t-test

P-Value: 0.33
Mean: 16.67
Standard Deviation: 57.73
120
Sample Size: 3
100
80
60
40
20
0
Pre-Test

A
B
C
Post-Test

Data Analysis
Confounding Variables:
Small Sample Size- results werent significant
because of one students scores
Distractions- students were in a different
environment when taking the post-test

Results showed improvement for two

students

Further Research
Analyze videos taken at cooking
classes to evaluate direction following
affecting improvement of fractions
Video Evaluation includes cooking tasks and
social tasks
Evaluates how involved the student is in each
task

Endnotes

1: Rowland, C. M. (2009, April/May). Object Lessons: How children with autism spectrum
disorders use objects to interact with the physical and social environments. Retrieved
September 16, 2014, from http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1750946708001311

2: Wulf, J. (2010, July 01). Cooking club helps autistic children build life skills. Retrieved
September 16, 2014, from http%3A%2F%2Fsearch.ebscohost.com%2Flogin.aspx%3Fdirect
%3Dtrue%26db%3Dn5h%26AN%3D2W61994902881%26site%3Dsrc-live

3: Mechling, L. C., PhD. (2013, July 25). Comparing the Effects of Commercially Available and
Custom-Made Video Prompting for Teaching Cooking Skills to High School Students With
Autism. Retrieved September 16, 2014, from http://rse.sagepub.com/content/34/6/371.short

4: Generation Rescue Teams with Chef Jimi and 'Cooking with a Cause. (2013, August). Retrieved
September 13, 2014, from http://go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?
action=interpret&id=GAL%7CA338443363&v=2.1&u=scschools&it=r&p=GPS&sw=w&authCount=1