Running Head: COOKING CLASS FOR CHILDREN WITH AUTISM

Cooking Class for Children with Autism to Improve

Fraction Related Performance
Abigail A. Tempel and Samantha C. McCall
Chapin High School

COOKING CLASS FOR CHILDREN WITH AUTISM

Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder refers to a group of complex disorders of brain development
characterized by difficulties in social interaction and communication, with many individuals also
displaying repetitive behaviors. Scientific studies have demonstrated that early intensive
behavioral intervention improves learning, communication and social skills in young children
with Autism. The purpose of this project was to determine if children with Autism would learn
fraction skills better with hands on learning rather than in a regular classroom environment. A
group of three students (grades 3rd and 4th) were taught fraction skills through cooking,
measuring and reading fractions. They attended five, one hour, cooking classes, with all classes
including use of fractions in following recipes and measuring ingredients. To document changes
in their abilities to use fractions appropriately, students were given multiple pre-tests and a posttest. Throughout the classes, multiple fraction evaluations were completed by the students.
There was an increase in scores for Students A and B, while Student C stayed the same. A
matched pairs t-test was completed for both a pre- and/post-test and an advanced pre- and /posttest. The pP-values were 0.33 and 0.50 respectively indicating that this study was not
statistically significant.

COOKING CLASS FOR CHILDREN WITH AUTISM

Cooking Class for Children with Autism to

Improve Fraction Related Performance
Autism spectrum disorder refers to a group of complex disorders of brain development
characterized by difficulties in social interaction and communication, with many individuals also
displaying repetitive behaviors ("Autism Causes, Types of Autism, Definition, and Symptoms,"
n.d.). Scientific Rresearch that has been done with children with Autism has shown that they
learn better through hands on learning because it stimulates more than one sense (Cleaver, n.d.).
It is also proven that children with Autism fixate on specific things objects or concepts, so they
need to be constantly engaged (Peif, 2011). The research question that was being tested in this
experiment was whether children diagnosed with Autism learn fraction material better through a
cooking class rather than a regular classroom environment. The hypothesis created by the
researchers was that a cooking class would be the best form of learning if the students learned
fractions in a cooking class. The researchers became interested in this topic due to personal
connections through future aspirations. They also have had past experiences with children with
Autism that they enjoyed working with.
The researchers first gathered a group of three students from Oak Pointe Elementary
School to participate in our cooking class. They gathered at Mt. Horeb Lutheran Church in their
fellowship hall to cook with the students once a week for five weeks. They cooked for about an
hour each week and they cooked different recipes each classweek. The recipes that they cooked
were Cchocolate Cchip Ccookies, Grinch Punch, Santa Chex Mix, Ppersonal Ppizzas, and
Ccinnamon Rrolls. All of the recipes included different fractions and the students measured
specific ingredients using measuring cups. They also participated in other non-cooking fraction

COOKING CLASS FOR CHILDREN WITH AUTISM

activities such as measuring marbles into measuring cups to show adding fractions visually. The
students were given a pre-test and because of exemplary performance, they were given an
advanced pre-test. After the cooking classes were over, they were given a post-test with the same
content as the pre-test. The researchers then used a matched pairs t-test to evaluated
improvements between the pre-test and post-test foron each student. The t-test gave the
researchers a p-value that would determine significance between the cooking class and fraction
performance.
Through evaluating the pre-test and post-test scores from the students, there were pvalues collected from the matched pairs t-test. A matched pairs t-test was run on pre- and /posttest scores as well as advanced pre- and/post-test scores. The pP-values were 0.33 and 0.50
respectively. Due to the p-values being greater than 0.05, the study is was not statistically
significant. Confounding variables could have affected scores of post-test scores. These
variables include a small sample size and the location of where they took the post-test was
distracting. The small sample size of three was a confounding variable because one student did
not improve; the p-values were greatly affected. The location was a confounding variable
because the students were not relating the environment they were in to the cooking class. The
students were distracted due to other students around them and because of upcoming events in
the school day.
The data collected rejects the proposed hypothesis that the cooking class would improve
the students fraction related performance. Some further research that could be done with this
information is evaluating videos taken at the cooking class to look at direction following
impacting student performance. There could also be research done involving Lexington
Richland School District 5 wellness policys effectiveness regarding student learning. This

COOKING CLASS FOR CHILDREN WITH AUTISM

research project, even though data did not show expected results, still taught the students life
skills and social skills that showing showed improvement. There was also individual
improvement among the students involving fraction related performance.

COOKING CLASS FOR CHILDREN WITH AUTISM

References

Autism Causes, Types of Autism, Definition, and Symptoms. (n.d.). Retrieved February 19, 2015, from
http://www.webmd.com/brain/autism/understanding-autism-basics
Cleaver, S. (n.d.). Hands-On Is Minds-On. Retrieved February 5, 2015, from
http://www.scholastic.com/browse/article.jsp?id=3751901
Peif, S. (2011, February 8). Temple Grandin: Hands-on learning is key to education. Retrieved
February 12, 2015, from http%3A%2F%2Fweb.b.ebscohost.com%2Fsrc%2Fdetail%3Fvid
%3D2%26sid%3Dc838adaa-295c-40e8-ab42-cc119c6fada1%2540sessionmgr115%26hid
%3D123%26bdata%3DJnNpdGU9c3JjLWxpdmU%253d%23db%3Dn5h%26AN
%3D2W62561466653

COOKING CLASS FOR CHILDREN WITH AUTISM

Appendix A

120
100
80

A
B
C

60
40
20
0
Pre-Test

Post-Test
Pre and Post-Test Scores

COOKING CLASS FOR CHILDREN WITH AUTISM

Appendix B
Advanced Pre and Post-test Scores

120
100
80
60
40
20
0
Pre-Test

A
B
C
Post-Test