Introduction to Psychobiology examines how our brain influences behavior and includes an overview of how what we eat affects our brain. Students in the class shared some of this knowledge with the community by connecting with folks attending Skyline College’s Health Fair and the Empty Bowls fundraising event.
Students collaborated with our SparkPoint Food Pantry to create recipe cards featuring ingredients commonly distributed at the Pantry, such as eggs, vegetables, and rice. Importantly, each recipe provided information about how these foods contribute to good brain health. For example, one recipe shared that “potatoes are rich in vitamin B-6. This is crucial for production of GABA, a neurotransmitter that produces calming effects.”
This assignment also allowed students to work on Skyline College’s ISLO’s, reflected in the comments below:
Critical Thinking: “We also had to condense our research in a way that would be easy for others to understand and not overwhelm them.” “This activity enhanced my Critical and Creative Thinking by encouraging me to look at the needs of student health and create a recipe that balanced health, simplicity, and appeal. We turned nutritional ideas into a creative, brain-healthy meal and made sure it was backed by credible evidence.”
Effective Communication: “We had to explain what our dish was, why we are doing this, where to get the ingredients, and why it was healthy, specifically to our brain. You also had to do this without just reading off our recipe sheet, which made it so we had to know what we were talking about and how to communicate that in an intriguing and informative way, which is helpful when you have to present something to strangers.”
Information Literacy: “I analyzed three of my sources (and later a fourth) in class and determined two of them weren’t reliable. It was a bit disappointing because then I had to rework my draft. If not the want for a more informed or diversely sourced work, then this reediting will encourage me to meaningfully evaluate my sources in future assignments, which I honestly wouldn’t consciously think about before this assignment!”
Lastly, this assignment also illustrated equity, including:
Choice: Since students were choosing recipes, they could select something that aligned with their interests, dietary needs, or cultural background.
Inclusivity: The recipes included options that reflected various dietary preferences or restrictions, such as vegetarian, gluten-free, or culturally specific diets.
Access to Resources: The assignment was designed to accommodate varying access to resources. For example, students chose recipes with the idea that individuals using them may have limited time, access to certain ingredients, or kitchen tools.
If you would like digital copies of the recipes, please contact Jennifer Merrill at merrill@smccd.edu.
