Developing mathematical skills through cooking activities and recipes

Abstract

This article addresses the development of mathematical skills in elementary school students through the implementation of practical activities related to cooking and the use of recipes. This methodological strategy seeks to integrate mathematical content with everyday situations, allowing students to apply basic operations, measurement, proportions, and logical sequences in a meaningful setting. The main objective is to demonstrate how manipulating ingredients, reading quantities, and organizing the steps of a recipe in a timely manner can strengthen skills such as mental calculation, problem-solving, and logical-mathematical thinking. A qualitative methodology with a descriptive approach was used through practical workshops with students, direct observations, and performance records. The results show a notable improvement in the understanding of concepts such as fractions, units of measurement, and estimation, when related to real-life experiences. An increase in student motivation and active participation was also observed. This study highlights the importance of employing innovative teaching strategies in the classroom, where learning is built on the student's experience and immediate context, thus fostering a more inclusive and meaningful education.