SUBJECT: Art and Religion
GRADE LEVEL(S): Can be adapted to all grades

OBJECTIVE: To help students see Jesus in everyday things.

TIME: One class period 35 minutes minimum (plus baking and eating time!)

TEACHER MATERIAL(S):
Kids Explore America’s Catholic Heritage pages 170-171
your favorite sugar cookie recipe - prepared dough from a bakery
red food coloring
waxed paper
flour
rolling pin (optional)
two mixing bowls

ACTIVITIES (per group):
Share the background information from Kids Explore pages 170-171.
Follow the cookie recipe using the ingredients suggested.
Flour your hands and divide the dough into two bowls.
Use red food coloring to color desired in one bowl of dough. Leave the other bowl of dough white.
Divide the dough in each bowl equally among the participants. Each participant will need to make two balls of dough about the size of a walnut on individual pieces of waxed paper.
Each participant, with floured hands, will need to roll the red dough out on the waxed paper into a long snake. Place the two snakes close together.
Twist the two tubes together and form into the shape of a candy cane.
Place candy canes on parchment paper in a greased pan. (The parchment paper won’t burn!)
Bake as directed in the recipe.

EXTENSION(S): ½ teaspoon peppermint extract can be added to the dough to give cookies a peppermint flavor.