This is a do-at-home activity that can begin a wonderful conversation about how diverse people and groups can work together toward a common goal. Consider passing this assignment to students after the communal potluck.

Explain the concept of the “compost cookie” to your students. The compost cookie is a fantastically delicious cookie that combines all sorts of random ingredients (often whatever you have lying around) which somehow work unbelievably well together. For example, instead of being filled with only chocolate chips, a compost cookie might also have pretzels, potato chips, and pieces of Oreo.

The compost cookie is a wonderful metaphor for a healthy, respectful school environment. When a school is respectful, we can throw a whole bunch of varied identities into the mix, while still letting everyone maintain their individuality. Diversity can bring out the best in everyone… just like the ingredients in the compost cookie.

Provide every student with a recipe for compost cookies and suggest they go home and give baking a batch a try. Tell them to bring any cookies they do make back to the class to share with everyone! Ask students to talk about how the compost cookie is a metaphor for a healthy and respectful school!

Click here for a compost cookie recipe.