Kitchen Humanities: Tortilla Platter

Summary

In this 7th grade humanities lesson, students prepare tortillas, pico de gallo, and tomatillo salsa after learning about the different agricultural techniques developed by the Mayan, Aztec and Inca civilizations.

Objectives

After this lesson, students will be able to:

• Identify crops grown by the Mayan, Aztec and Inca civilizations, and explain the agricultural techniques used to grow these crops
• Understand how the geographic locations, landforms, and climates of Mexico, Central America, and South America affected the food and farming of the Mayan, Aztec, and Inca civilizations
• Make connections between the diets of historic cultures and foods we eat today

Assessments

During this lesson, students will:

• Discuss the agricultural techniques used by the Maya, Aztecs and Incas to grow particular food crops
• Describe the location, climate, and terrain of Mexico, Central America, and South America and discuss their effects on food and farming of the Maya, Aztecs and Incas
• Recognize foods that originated in the Americas and agricultural practices that were developed by the Mayan, Aztec, and Inca civilizations

Materials

For the Chef Meeting

• Pico de Gallo recipe
• Tomatillo Salsa recipe
• Ingredients and tools for demonstration
• Visual aid

Ingredients

• Beans 
• Queso fresco

For the Tortillas

• Masa
• Water

For the Pico de Gallo

• Tomatoes
• Jalapeños
• Onion
• Cilantro
• Lime
• Salt

For the Tomatillo Salsa

• Tomatillos
• Cilantro
• Lime
• Onion
• Salt
• Water (for blanching)

Tools

For the Tortillas

• Mixing bowl

• Tortilla press

For the Pico de Gallo

• Mixing bowl

• Chef knives

• Paring knives

• Cutting boards

• Reamer or juicer

For the Tomatillo Salsa

• Stock pot

• Slotted spoon

• Reamer or juicer

Equipment

• Stove
• Immersion blender
• Electric griddle

Before You Begin

• Collect all the tools and ingredients, and then distribute them to tables
• Gather supplies for the Chef Meeting
• Create the visual aid
• Copy the Pico de Gallo recipe to hand out
• Copy the Tomatillo Salsa recipe to hand out
• Soak and cook the beans
• Prepare the tortilla dough by mixing 3 ½ cups of masa with warm water

Procedures

At the Chef Meeting

1. Welcome students and introduce the tortillas, beans, pico de gallo and tomatillo salsa as traditional foods eaten in Central and South America.
2. Explain to students that we will discuss the food and agriculture of three specific civilizations from the Americas: the Maya, Aztec, and Inca).
3. Discuss the location, climate, and terrain of the Mayan civilization. Identify the agricultural practices (canals, raised earth platforms and terracing) employed by the Maya to grow food on the Yucatan Peninsula.
4. Discuss the location, climate, and terrain of the Aztec civilizations. Identify the agricultural practices (chinampas) employed by the Aztec to grow food on Lake Texcoco.
5. Discuss the location, climate, and terrain of the Inca civilizations. Identify the agricultural practices (terracing) employed by the Inca to grow food in the Andes Mountains.
6. Relate climates of the Mayan, Aztec and Inca civilizations to the foods that thrived in those regions (corn, tomatoes, chilies, beans, peppers, amaranth, potatoes, etc.). Discuss how the geography influenced what each civilization grew and how they grew it.
7. Introduce the recipes and explain that students will use masa (corn flour) that has been mixed with warm water to form, press, and cook tortillas.

At the Table

1. Meet with the table groups to review the recipes
2. Check-in and assign cooking jobs.
3. Prepare the recipes and set the table.
4. Eat
5. Clean up. 

At the Closing Circle

Ask students to share something they learned from this lesson.

Vocabulary

Canal

Raised earth platform

Terrace

Chinampas

Reamer

Immersion