How to Write a Rationale for a Cooking Lesson Plan

A lesson plan is simply the guide or map of what a teacher will cover in a given class, including his goals and objectives for the class along with any new terms or procedures he plans on teaching. Some schools require teachers to submit their lesson plans to administrators for approval and to include a rationale for each lesson plan. A rationale merely explains the importance, significance, and reasons behind these objectives. Even if you're teaching a cooking class, you should still be able to draft a rationale for the goals and agenda that you've set that day.

Write a brief three to four sentence paragraph explaining what the lesson will consist of. Entitle this your "Lesson Overview." For example, your overview will be as simple as "This lesson will demonstrate and explain the correct slicing methods of various types of fish for sushi. I will also explain the aesthetic and compositional importance of correct slicing methods."

Explain the strategic functions of the lesson. The strategic functions of a given cooking lesson will include the skills students will need to use and develop. For example, in a lesson on making a French souffle, students will have to learn how to use delicacy and precision to prepare ingredients. Be specific, citing various activities and tasks students will have to do in this lesson.

Explain how the goals and tasks of this lesson reflects the pedagogical theories or practices of the work of a professional chef, citing someone well established in the field, such as Charlie Trotter or Wolfgang Puck.

Explain how the tasks of previous lessons have prepared students for the tasks they must complete in the lesson plan in question. For example, if your lesson involves making homemade bread, perhaps students have already honed their skills in this arena by making homemade pizzas the week before.