kmschlatter@thencepartners.ch
🥯 NY Style Bagel Recipe Calculator
Method 1: Calculate from Flour Weight
| Ingredient | Baker’s % | Weight (g) | Volume | Unit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| King Arthur High Gluten Flour (14.2%) | 100.0% | 1040.0 | 8.67 | cups |
| Instant Yeast | 0.5% | 5.2 | 1.66 | teaspoons |
| Barley Malt Syrup | 4.1% | 42.6 | 6.09 | teaspoons |
| Salt | 2.0% | 20.8 | 3.47 | teaspoons |
| Water | 58.0% | 603.2 | 2.55 | cups |
| TOTAL WEIGHT | 1711.8 |
Method 2: Calculate from Desired Quantity
| Ingredient | Baker’s % | Weight (g) | Volume | Unit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| King Arthur High Gluten Flour (14.2%) | 100.0% | 1069.3 | 8.91 | cups |
| Instant Yeast | 0.5% | 5.3 | 1.70 | teaspoons |
| Barley Malt Syrup | 4.1% | 43.8 | 6.26 | teaspoons |
| Salt | 2.0% | 21.4 | 3.56 | teaspoons |
| Water | 58.0% | 620.2 | 2.62 | cups |
| TOTAL WEIGHT | 1760.0 |
📝 Recipe Notes
- High Gluten Flour: King Arthur or similar (14.2% protein) recommended
- Hydration: 58% – this creates the characteristic chewy texture
- Barley Malt Syrup: Provides authentic flavor and helps with browning
- Pre-boiled Weight: Bagels lose ~15-20% weight during boiling and baking
- Scaling: This calculator maintains proper ratios at any scale
🥯 National Bread Month: Math & Culture 🍞
Exploring Ratios, Proportions & Cultural Traditions Through Baking
🎯 Learning Objectives (Grades 4-5)
- Math: 4.NF.1 (Equivalent fractions), 5.NF.5 (Scaling quantities), 4.MD.2 (Measurement problems)
- ELA: 4.RI.7 (Interpret information), 4.SL.4 (Report on topic), 5.W.2 (Informative writing)
🌍 Cultural Connection: Bread Around the World
Did you know that every culture has its own special bread? From Mexican tortillas to Indian naan, from Jewish challah to Italian focaccia! Bread brings families together and tells stories about where people come from.
📚 TinkerTell Story: "Jeff's Harvest Festival Bakery"
Story Setup: Jeff wants to help his grandmother's bakery for the town's Harvest Festival. Grandma's recipe makes 8 bagels, but they need 24 bagels for the festival! Jeff needs to figure out how much of each ingredient to use.
Original Recipe (8 bagels):
- 2 cups flour
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon yeast
Challenge: Help Jeff scale this recipe to make 24 bagels!
📝 TinkerTell Story Prompt
Story Title: "Jeff's Harvest Festival Bakery"
Character: Jeff - a curious 4th grader who loves helping his grandmother
Setting: Grandmother's cozy neighborhood bakery during autumn harvest season
Problem: The annual Harvest Festival needs triple the usual bagels, but Jeff must figure out the math to scale the recipe correctly
TinkerTell Prompt (50 characters max):
Character count: 39/50
Story Details to Include: Jeff helping grandmother's bakery, Harvest Festival order tripling from 8 to 24 bagels, math problem-solving, warm bakery setting, community connection, Jeff's pride in using math skills to help.
🧮 Math Activities
Activity 1: Fraction Pizza 🍕
Using circular fraction models, students discover that recipes are like fractions. If 1 recipe = 8 bagels, then 3 recipes = 24 bagels!
Key Concept: 1 recipe × 3 = 3 recipes
Activity 2: Measuring Cup Math
Students use real measuring cups to practice scaling ingredients. They'll discover that 2 cups × 3 = 6 cups of flour!
Materials: Measuring cups, rice or flour for practice, recording sheets
📊 Assessment
Quick Check
Can students double a simple recipe (2 → 4 bagels)?
Hands-On
Students measure ingredients for their chosen scaling
Cultural Sharing
Share a bread tradition from their family or culture
🎯 Learning Objectives (Grades 6-7)
- Math: 6.RP.1 (Ratios), 6.RP.3 (Rate reasoning), 7.RP.2 (Proportional relationships)
- ELA: 6.RI.2 (Central idea), 6.W.1 (Argumentative writing), 7.SL.4 (Clear claims)
🏛️ Historical Connection: Immigration & Bread
In the early 1900s, Jewish immigrants brought bagel-making traditions to New York City. Each baker had secret ratios passed down through generations. Today, we use baker's percentages - a mathematical system where flour always equals 100% and other ingredients are percentages of flour weight.
📚 TinkerTell Story: "The Great Bagel Mix-Up"
Story Setup: The Brooklyn Bagel Shop received a huge order - 160 bagels for a school breakfast! But the new baker accidentally used the wrong measurements. The ratios are all mixed up!
Correct Baker's Percentages:
- Flour: 100% (1000g)
- Water: 58% (?g)
- Salt: 2% (?g)
- Yeast: 0.5% (?g)
Challenge: Calculate the correct ingredient weights and determine if this recipe makes enough bagels!
🧮 Math Activities
Activity 1: Percentage Detective 🔍
Students work backwards from completed recipes to discover the baker's percentages. They'll analyze different bagel recipes and find the mathematical relationships.
Key Skill: Converting between percentages and ratios
Activity 2: Scaling Challenge
Given baker's percentages, students must scale recipes for different scenarios: 12 bagels for a family, 50 for a class party, 200 for a school event.
Technology Integration: Use spreadsheets or the bagel calculator to verify calculations
Activity 3: Rate & Unit Analysis
Students calculate cost per bagel, time per batch, and efficiency rates. They'll compare homemade vs. store-bought using mathematical reasoning.
📊 Assessment
Problem Solving
Scale a recipe for a specific scenario with 85% accuracy
Mathematical Communication
Explain baker's percentage system to a younger student
Cultural Research
Research and present one bread tradition with mathematical analysis
🎯 Learning Objectives (Grades 8-9)
- Math: 8.F.2 (Linear functions), 8.EE.5 (Slope), A.CED.3 (Linear systems)
- ELA: 8.RST.7 (Technical texts), 8.WHST.1 (Arguments with evidence), 9.SL.4 (Clear presentations)
🌐 Global Economics: The Business of Bread
Bread production is a multi-billion dollar global industry. From artisan bakeries using traditional methods to industrial operations producing millions of loaves daily, mathematical optimization drives efficiency, cost control, and quality. Understanding these systems helps us analyze economic patterns and cultural preservation.
📚 TinkerTell Story: "Bread Bridges: A Global Connection"
Story Setup: The International Student Exchange program is hosting a "Bread Around the World" festival. Students from 5 countries want to share their traditional breads, but they need to coordinate ingredients, costs, and timing.
Countries & Breads:
- Mexico: Tortillas (corn-based, different ratios)
- India: Naan (requires yogurt, different hydration)
- France: Baguettes (higher hydration, longer fermentation)
- Ethiopia: Injera (fermented, unique ratios)
- USA: Bagels (our calculator recipe)
Complex Challenge: Create a mathematical model to optimize ingredient purchasing, predict costs, and schedule baking times for all breads!
🧮 Advanced Math Activities
Activity 1: Linear Function Modeling 📈
Students create linear equations representing the relationship between ingredient quantities and batch sizes. They'll analyze slope as the scaling factor and y-intercept as fixed costs.
Key Concept: f(x) = mx + b where x = batch multiplier
Activity 2: Systems of Equations - Multi-Recipe Optimization
Students solve complex problems involving multiple recipes, shared ingredients, and budget constraints using systems of linear equations.
Real-World Application: Commercial bakery planning and resource allocation
Activity 3: Data Analysis & Cultural Patterns
Students collect and analyze data about bread consumption, nutritional content, and cultural significance across different societies. They'll create graphical representations and draw conclusions.
Activity 4: Algebraic Thinking - Recipe Engineering
Students reverse-engineer recipes by setting up equations to achieve specific nutritional targets, cost parameters, or yield requirements.
📊 Assessment
Mathematical Modeling
Create and justify a linear model for recipe scaling with 90% accuracy
Problem-Based Learning
Solve multi-variable bakery optimization problem with clear reasoning
Cultural Analysis Project
Research, analyze, and present mathematical patterns in global bread traditions
Technology Creation
Design a simple calculator or model for a chosen bread recipe
📚 Resources & Extensions
📚 Recommended Reading
- "The Bread Baker's Apprentice" by Peter Reinhart (excerpts for cultural context)
- "Flatbreads and Flavors" by Jeffrey Alford - global bread traditions
- National Geographic Kids: "Foods of the World" articles
🔗 Digital Tools
- Interactive Bagel Calculator (companion tool)
- TinkerTell Stories for Classrooms (story customization)
- Google Sheets templates for recipe scaling
- Cultural bread virtual museum tours
🎨 Extension Activities
- Art Integration: Create geometric patterns inspired by different breads
- Science Connection: Explore yeast fermentation and chemical reactions
- Social Studies: Map global grain production and trade routes
- Language Arts: Write and illustrate family bread tradition stories
⏰ Implementation Timeline
Week 1: Cultural Exploration & Story Introduction
Introduce bread traditions, read TinkerTell story, begin basic ratio work
Week 2: Mathematical Skill Building
Focus on grade-appropriate calculations, use interactive calculator, practice scaling
Week 3: Real-World Application & Assessment
Complete projects, present findings, demonstrate understanding through practical problems
