Ken Makes Lunch
An adult reading companion for Ken’s classroom cooking story.
Learning focus
Talk about preparing food together, following a sequence, counting ingredients, and helping to tidy up.
Children can talk, point, sign, draw or use a communication device. Listening and watching are ways to join in too.
Before reading
- Look at the cover. What can you see? What might Ken make?
- Ask: “Who helps you get ready for lunch?”
- Explain that Ken’s teacher helps him prepare food. This is a story to read together; any real cooking needs adult supervision.
Words to explore
- Sandwich
- Food with a filling between slices of bread.
- Slice
- A thin, flat piece of food.
- Mash
- Press food into smaller, softer pieces.
- Stir
- Move a spoon around to mix ingredients.
- Spread
- Move a soft food over a surface.
- Tablespoon
- A spoon used to measure an amount.
- Mayo
- A short name for mayonnaise.
- Tidy
- Put things away and leave a place clean.
Point to the illustrations and mime mashing, stirring and spreading together.
During reading
- Read slowly and pause for children to look at the pictures.
- Open Talk Together for the book’s page-specific discussion questions.
- Invite children to echo “Mash, mash, mash!” and “My sandwich is ready!”
- Count the two eggs and two slices of bread shown in the story.
- Ask: “What does Ken do next?” Let children point, gesture or answer in their own words.
After reading
- Retell the story: Ken gets ready, makes his sandwich, tidies up and eats with friends.
- Use drawings to order washing hands, mashing, stirring, spreading and tidying.
- Ask: “How did Ken’s teacher help him? How did Ken help?”
- Reread a favourite page and invite children to join in.
Try a pretend cooking activity
Use a clean empty bowl, a spoon and paper ingredients. Children can pretend to stir, spread and serve, then put the equipment away. No food or heat is needed.
If an adult chooses a real cooking activity, check individual food allergies and dietary needs first, supervise throughout, and handle hot food and sharp tools yourself.
About this edition
I Read Smart edition, 2026. Copied from the shared reading book available through iroomhub.com. The story and eight illustrations are preserved from that source.
© 2026 I Read Smart. All rights reserved.