Welcome to a new week here at Greatful Moments! It’s a beautiful Monday morning here in Fort Worth, Texas, and as I was going through the holidays this morning, I discovered that the other day was Moldy Cheese Day. Now, I know most people would wonder what moldy cheese is, why there’s a holiday dedicated to it, how you’re supposed to celebrate it, and, of course, what in the world you could possibly make with moldy cheese!
But I decided to do something a little different this morning. Instead of focusing on the cheese itself, I thought it would be fun to take a little trip down memory lane to when Suzzane and Charlie were little and share one of my favorite children’s books with you.
If You Give a Mouse a Piece of Cheese… Or Was It a Cookie? I have a question for you. Have you ever remembered a book from your childhood, only to look it up years later and discover that the title wasn’t quite what you thought it was? That happened to me when I started thinking about If You Give a Mouse a Piece of Cheese. At least, that’s the title I had in my head!
When I looked it up, I discovered that the actual title is If You Give a Mouse a Cookie, written by Laura Numeroff and illustrated by Felicia Bond. And you know what? That’s okay! Although, I would like to ask myself how I could forget the title when I’ve read this book to my children millions of time.
Sometimes as I get older I remember the stories, the characters, and the way a book made us feel more than we remember every word of the title. When we look something up and discover that our memories have changed a little over the years, it can give us another reason to smile.
I still love the idea of giving that little mouse a piece of cheese. And since we’re celebrating Moldy Cheese Day, I think we’ll let my remembered title inspire our own silly little adventure! There’s an entire series of If You Give… books, including If You Give a Moose a Muffin, If You Give a Pig a Pancake, and If You Give a Cat a Cupcake.
They’re funny stories built around the idea that one little thing can lead to another, and another, until the characters find themselves in an unexpected situation. Just like the old Lady Who Swallowed A Fly set of children’s books which like this one can be used in our 10 Minute Reading Challenge and there the perfect books for Santa and I to load onto the sleigh for all good little boys and girls.
That’s part of what makes these books so much fun to read with children. They encourage us to use our imaginations, predict what might happen next, and laugh together along the way. And they remind me that some of the sweetest memories are made during the simplest moments.
When I was #Homeschooling Suzzane and Charlie we used these books in #Homeschooling and this morning I thought why not turn Moldy Cheese Day Into a Homeschooling Lesson and then at the end of the lesson we can make the recipe which would be fun to serve on Halloween and its why you will find these books in both of our Interactive Halloween Gift Guide and our Christmas Gift Guide/ Wish List.
I like this lesson plan because we don’t have to plan an elaborate field trip or spend a lot of money to create a learning experience at home. Sometimes a book, a little imagination, and something happening in the kitchen are all you need. For today’s lesson, we’re going to pretend our mouse has been given a piece of cheese. Naturally, he won’t stop there!
First, he’ll want a plate. Then he’ll need a fork. Maybe he’ll decide that the cheese would taste better in an omelet. Before we know it, he’ll be asking for eggs, a bowl, a whisk, a measuring spoon, and someone to help him cook breakfast. You can probably see where this is going!
This is a wonderful opportunity to talk with children about cause and effect. What happens when we give the mouse one thing? What might he ask for next? Can your child predict the next step, or can they invent a completely different ending?
You can also encourage your child to create their own story using the same pattern. Start with one simple item, such as a cookie, a pancake, a piece of cheese, or even a favorite toy. Then let the imagination take over. What Can Children Learn? For my family funny story would open the door to all kinds of learning opportunities.
Reading and comprehension: Read the story together and ask your child to explain what happened first, next, and last. Younger children can identify objects and characters, while older children can summarize the story and explain the chain of events.
Writing and imagination: Have your child finish the sentence, “If you give a mouse a piece of cheese, he’ll probably ask for…” Encourage them to keep writing until the story circles back to the beginning. For even more fun let one person pick something and someone else add something else and keep going till everyone has had a turn.
Sequencing and cause and effect: Draw a series of boxes and let your child illustrate what happens after each request. This helps them organize ideas and understand how one event can lead to another. Then let them draw there own story.
Math and measuring: Our kitchen activity offers a chance to count eggs, measure cheese, compare quantities, and talk about fractions. What does half a cup look like? How many eggs are we using? If we double the recipe, how much cheese will we need?
Practical life skills: Cooking together can teach children how to follow directions, gather ingredients, take turns, clean up, and practice kitchen safety. Ask everyone in the home to help you prepare the recipe and clean up and assign task for each person.
And there’s one more lesson we can include today: food safety. Although we’re celebrating Moldy Cheese Day, we aren’t going to eat cheese that has actually gone moldy. Some cheeses are intentionally made with specific food-safe molds, but unexpected mold on a cheese that isn’t meant to have it can be a sign that the food should be discarded. Cooking questionable cheese doesn’t make it reliably safe.
Our little mouse can have his silly story. We’ll use fresh cheese for our real-life recipe!
Our Moldy Cheese Day Recipe: A Cheesy Breakfast Omelet
Now, if I were going to turn this unusual holiday into something delicious, I would make an omelet! An omelet is a simple recipe that gives children a chance to practice reading, measuring, counting, and following directions. You can keep it plain with eggs and cheese or add a few favorite ingredients from your refrigerator.
For our lesson, we’re going to call it the Mouse’s Cheesy Omelet. It’s inspired by Moldy Cheese Day, but it uses fresh, safe ingredients.
Prep time: 5 minutes Cook time: 5–7 minutes Servings: 1 omelet
Ingredients:
2 large eggs or a Egg for anyone whose eating but you may want to add extra Eggs if you have hungry people or dogs who love Eggs likes ours does.
1 tablespoon milk or water you may need to double this
¼ cup shredded cheddar cheese or a cup if you add more Egg
1 teaspoon butter
A small pinch of salt and pepper, if desired
Directions
Wash your hands and gather the ingredients. Have your child read each ingredient on the list as you set it on the counter.
Crack the two eggs into a bowl. Younger children may need an adult to help with this step.
Add the tablespoon of milk or water. Whisk the eggs until the yolks and whites are combined.
Measure out ¼ cup of shredded cheddar cheese. Talk about how the measuring cup helps us use the correct amount.
With adult supervision, melt the butter in a small nonstick skillet over medium-low heat.
Pour the eggs into the skillet. Cook gently until the eggs begin to set.
Sprinkle the cheese over one half of the omelet.
Fold the omelet in half and continue cooking until the eggs are fully set and the cheese has melted.
Transfer to a plate, allow it to cool to a safe eating temperature, and enjoy!
Kitchen safety reminder: An adult should handle the hot skillet and supervise cooking. Cook eggs until both the whites and yolks are firm, and clean up the kitchen together when you’re finished.
Before you start cooking, ask your child to count the eggs. Then have them measure the milk and cheese with your help. If you’re making breakfast for two people, ask how you would double the recipe. Two eggs become four, one tablespoon of milk becomes two, and ¼ cup of cheese becomes ½ cup.
For math: older children, you can discuss fractions, multiplication, and why following the measurements matters. Younger children can practice counting, identifying numbers, and matching the quantities on the recipe to the ingredients on the counter.
For a reading lesson: have your child read each direction aloud before you complete the step. Ask them to identify words such as crack, whisk, measure, pour, and fold. You can also talk about why recipes are written in a particular order. Would you melt the butter before gathering your ingredients? What might happen if you forgot the cheese? Why is it important to follow the instructions?
A recipe is more than a list of ingredients. It’s a set of directions that helps us reach a goal. And, just like our mouse story, one step leads to the next! I’ve included a recipe printable to go along with today’s activity. You can print it and keep it in your #homeschool binder, use it during a cooking lesson, or save it for another morning when you want to bring a little fun into the kitchen.
Let your child check off the ingredients as you gather them, follow the directions, and write or draw something they learned. You can even ask them to invent a new name for their omelet. Maybe the mouse would call his “The World’s Cheesiest Breakfast.” I think we can let him have that one!
Now It’s Your Turn! Before I go, I have a question for you. What would you create for Moldy Cheese Day, and why? Would you make an omelet, a grilled cheese sandwich, macaroni and cheese, or something completely different? I’d love to hear your ideas! Remember, if you’re cooking along with us, use fresh cheese that’s safe to eat rather than cheese that has spoiled.
I hope this little trip down memory lane has inspired you to pull out a favorite childhood book, share it with a child or grandchild, and find a new way to learn together. Because sometimes the best homeschool lessons begin with a funny story, a little curiosity, and a mouse who just can’t seem to stop asking for one more thing. Here’s to a beautiful Monday, a little laughter, and finding reasons to be grateful in the everyday moments.
Moldy Cheese Day!
Mouse’s Cheesy Omelet
A silly holiday, a yummy breakfast, and a little learning!
GreatfulMoments.com
5 minutes
5–7 minutes
1 omelet
Ingredients Checklist
Check each item as you gather it!
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon milk or water
- ¼ cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 teaspoon butter
- Salt and pepper, if desired
Let’s Make Breakfast!
- Wash your hands and gather all the ingredients.
- Crack the eggs into a bowl with adult help as needed.
- Add the milk or water and whisk until combined.
- Measure ¼ cup of shredded cheddar cheese.
- With adult supervision, melt the butter in a nonstick skillet over medium-low heat.
- Pour in the eggs and cook gently until they begin to set.
- Sprinkle cheese over one half of the omelet.
- Fold the omelet in half and cook until the eggs are fully set and the cheese melts.
- Transfer to a plate, let cool to a safe temperature, and enjoy!
Little Homeschool Lessons
Reading: Read each recipe step aloud.
Math: Count the eggs. Measure the milk and cheese.
Fractions: What happens when we double ¼ cup of cheese?
Sequencing: Number the steps in the order you complete them.
Writing: Give your omelet a funny mouse-inspired name!
My omelet’s new name:
One thing I learned today:
If you were using Moldy Cheese today what would you make with it and why?
Grateful. Thankful. Blessed.
GreatfulMoments.com
Thank you,
Glenda, Charlie and David Cates
