Sixth-graders learn math, business by creating, running food truck
Bill Choy
Sixth-graders at Sisson School in Mount Shasta are getting an unique hands-on learning experience.
They're designing a food truck, part of a project by the school and SiskiyouWorks of Yreka.
Their teachers Stacy Laub and Angela Bleazard partnered to teach their students career technical embedded math project in October and November,
The lesson's focus is on the math, marketing and entrepreneurship needed to design a food truck. Students were required to figure out the math needed to design and build the truck, and to create a menu with prices and product list.
The sixth graders “knocked it out of the park,” with 50 completing the project, SiskiiyouWorks director Marie Caldwell said.
SiskiyouWorks mission is to implement — with local employers and workforce and education experts — career and job-readiness strategies that effectively match opportunities with interested students and job seekers.
Caldwell said students were required to figure out the vehicle's square footage and fit all the required appliances and supplies into a food truck.
“Student designs were incredibly creative, with trucks serving (everything from) cake to ramen (and) tacos,” Caldwell said.
Students visited the El Zaguan food truck in Weed to see how a food truck looks, feels, smells and operates, she said.
At the end of the project, they created a museum walk, where students in other grades could visit the displays, ask questions and admire the creative minds of their schoolmates, Caldwell said.
The class had a taco party to celebrate the end of the project – with El Zaguan tacos, of course.
Caldwell said the goal of SiskiyouWorks is to link education with industry to spark students’ interest in Siskiyou County's economy and their future career paths.
“This project allowed each student to shine where their talents lie, whether that be in calculation, design, art or marketing,” she said.
Bill Choy covers sports and general news for the Siskiyou Daily News/Mount Shasta Herald/USA Today Network. Follow him on Twitter at@SDNBillChoy. Email Bill at bchoy@siskiyoudaily.com. Support local journalism by subscribing today.