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Oklahoma Agriculture in the Classroom

Calendar


February

Pancake Day

Photo
Pancake Race

The small town of Olney, England has been holding a Pancake Race every year since 1445. The tradition began when a housewife was cooking the family's traditional Shrove Tuesday pancakes as the church bell summoning the townspeople to the shroving service began to ring. Anxious to get there on time, the woman immediately ran out the door, with her skillet still in her hand. This mistake immediately turned into a beloved tradition. Entrants in the Pancake Race must wait at the starting line, skillet in hand, until the "pancake bell" sounds. Then they must toss their pancake in the air, catch it in their skillet, and run the 400 yards to the church. Once they reach the finish line, they must once more toss their pancake in the air. When the race is finished, everyone attends the shriving service in the church, then the whole town joins together for an enormous pancake party!

Pancakes, Please
Students conduct experiments, solve math problems and conduct research related to pancakes.
Writing Prompts
  • Write the story of a disastrous pancake breakfast.
  • Write an acrostic poem using the word "pancake."
Books
Chamberlin, Mary, and Rich Chamberlin and Julia Cairns, Mama Panya's Pancakes, Barefoot, 2006. (Grades PreK-2)
Mama Panya and her son, Adika, are all ready for market day where Mama is planning to use her few coins to buy the ingredients to make pancakes for dinner. Adika is so excited that he can't help inviting all of their friends and neighbors. Luckily, all the guests arrive with gifts. A recipe, map, details about daily life and facts about Kiswahili and Kenya are included.
Fearnley, Jan, Mr. Wolf's Pancakes, Egmont UK, 2008. (Grades PreK-3)
The tables are turned and the big bad wolf is cast as a mild-mannered, aspiring cook. Determined to have pancakes, Mr. Wolf sets out to make them himself. However, he runs into many hurdles along the way - reading the recipe, making a list, purchasing the ingredients, etc. Like the Little Red Hen, Mr. Wolf asks for help from neighbors but gets none, although, of course, they want to share when the pancakes are finally made.
Florence, Tyler, and Carl Frazier, Tyler Makes Pancakes, HarperCollins, 2012.
A little boy decides to surprise his parents by making them breakfast. He and his dog head to the market, where Mr. Jones gives them a quick lesson in where their pancake ingredients come from.
Isaacs, Anne, Pancakes for Supper, Scholastic, 2006. (Grades PreK-4)
Infused with the flavor of an American tall tale, this story tells of Toby, who bounces from the back of her parents' buckboard and into the depths of the New England woods where she must surrender various treasures to secure her safety. A wolf wears her beautiful blue coat, a cougar takes her sunny yellow sweater, a skunk gets her buck hide boots, etc. When a great big bear dons her bright orange mittens on his ears, the animals begin to argue over which of them is grandest. A chasing melee ensues, and they melt into a golden brown moat. The tree drinks up the critter juice and makes maple syrup for pancakes.