[I ♥ cats]

I was thinking about doing this as a Christmas gift for parents. I have 23 kids so that would be 23 recipes. I am just musing here...we don't have a binding machine at my school so that means I'd have to get them bound someplace, but maybe I could ask each kid for a dollar or something. I would be the one typing up all the recipes too, since I teach 2nd and they can't do that (at least not accurately, would probably make for some very interesting recipes). Do you think this would be a really work-intensive project or not? I don't want to stress myself out any more than necessary over a holiday project.

[kbbteacher]

Depending on the price to bind them, some other options could be:
punching holes and putting binder rings in them
putting the recipes in protector sleeves in binders

I don't think it would be too intensive of a project. I make an apple recipe book each year for my families and the typing goes very quickly.

Good luck!

[geezer]

I am trying a class cookbook for the first time this year. I am having trouble getting the recipes. I have been typing them as I get them so I won't have so much typing to do all at once. We do have a binding machine at my school. I am going to have the kiddos draw a holiday picture on the page with their recipe. They will get their own original page and the rest of the pages will be photocopied.

[I ♥ cats]

I wondered about getting enough recipes too. So far my parents this year have not been super-involved. I guess if a child didn't bring a recipe I could bring a few recipes from home and let them choose one to include.

[ladyt9903]

I do this every year with my kindergarten students. I have them dictate how they think their parents cook their favorite food. The students come up with cute receipes such as to make chicken: Get five chickens, shake salt ten times, cook on stove for three hours, when it smells good, its ready. I type the dicatations and have the students illustrate a picture for their receipe. I print the recipes on card stock and staple the pages together. This is a big hit with the parents.

With second graders, I would do it about the same way. Instead of dicatations, the students could go through the writing process and write their own receipes of their favorite receipes. On the cover of the book, I would state something like "These receipes are from your child's eyes. (Cook at your own risk)." or some kind of wording that they know that the receipes may not be accurate.

[ritabook2]

I do this every year for Mother's Day with my 2nd graders. I do it like ladyt suggested, letting them write their own versions of recipes instead of getting the actual recipes. They go through the writing process, but I don't really correct spelling errors, because that is part of the charm of the cook book! I make sure they list ingredients and write the process out in steps. Then they copy it on writing paper with a cooking theme and draw a picture. I do have a binding machine, so all I have to do is buy the combs, but I have also just punched holes and tied them with yarn. They decorate their own covers and I laminate them too. They are a big hit every year. Let the kids do most of the work!

[DNF08]

I made a class cookbook last year for Thanksgiving. I actually had the kids write the recipes, it was a part of our writing workshop lessons, "how to" pieces of writing. They told how to make their favorite thanksgiving food and included ingredients and measurements. It was hysterical.
To bind it, I laminated it, punched holes in it, and then threaded it with yarn. It was cheap and easy, I would have never gotten kids to donate money!!! However,if you are lucky enough to have a book binding machine I would use that!! Good luck w/ your project, it's so much fun

[dee3]

I did this for my kindergarten students as a present for Mother's Day last year. The project was so successful, and I will probably do it again this year. I did ask each student to bring in 3 recipes and started early in order to avoid stress. It will take a good amount of typing and enough time to get the recipes back from students. I assigned bringing recipes as part of their homework for 3 straight days. However, we do have a book binder at my school and an illaminator so the cost was no issue.

[woody716]

I do this for the holidays. I have the parents send me the recipes and the backstory to why their child likes it. I also ask for pictures. Then, I have my third graders write their version of the receipe without seeing their parents' recipes. Then they add time order words to what their parents wrote, and why they like it. Finally, they type it themselves (it takes awhile), and I add pictures of each child. My district has a copy center that binds it, but I wouldn't hesitate to ask for a dollar or two to help put it together. The kids and the parents absolutely LOVE it. It is certainly a keepsake from the year.

I have 23 students also.