Free printable Thanksgiving activity

Thanksgiving Recipe Scaling with Ratios

A printable 20-problem Thanksgiving ratio activity using recipe scaling, proportions, conversions, and multi-step planning with answers.

Grades 5–820 problemsAbout 60 minutesReference data and answers
Download the free activity PDF

Why this activity works

Scaling a recipe makes proportional reasoning concrete because every ingredient must change by the same factor. Students move among scale factors, ratio tables, fractions, and customary measurement conversions while checking whether results make sense.

Teaching note

Ask students to identify the serving scale factor before touching the ingredients. If the servings double, every amount must double; that invariance is the main mathematical idea.

Materials

  • Pencil
  • Scratch paper
  • Optional measuring cups for demonstration

Directions

Use the base recipe for 8 servings. Show a scale factor or proportion for each new batch and label every unit.

Harvest soup recipe — 8 servings

IngredientAmount
Vegetable broth6 cups
Diced squash4 cups
Brown rice1 1/2 cups
Olive oil3/4 cup
Herbs2 tablespoons

Complete activity preview

Use the reference table above when provided. All questions and solutions also appear in the printable packet.

Half and double batches

Apply scale factors of 1/2 and 2.

  1. 1Find every ingredient amount for 4 servings.
  2. 2How much broth and squash are needed for 16 servings?
  3. 3How much olive oil is needed for 16 servings?
  4. 4Find the rice and herb amounts for 2\displaystyle 2 servings.

New guest counts

Use proportional relationships for non-integer scale factors.

  1. 5Find the amount of broth for 12 servings.
  2. 6Find the amount of rice for 12 servings.
  3. 7Find the amount of herbs for 20 servings.
  4. 8How much olive oil is needed for 30\displaystyle 30 servings?

Ratio table reasoning

Find unit rates and missing values in equivalent ratios.

  1. 9How many cups of squash are used per serving?
  2. 10Complete the ratio: 8 servings / 6 cups broth = 24 servings / ___ cups broth.
  3. 11A cook has 15 cups of broth. How many servings can be made?
  4. 12Solve 86=s13.5\displaystyle \frac{8}{6}=\frac{s}{13.5} for the number of servings s\displaystyle s.

Kitchen conversions

Convert customary units while preserving quantities.

  1. 13Convert the 6 cups of broth to pints.
  2. 14Convert 34\displaystyle \frac{3}{4} cup of oil to tablespoons. Use 16 tablespoons = 1 cup.
  3. 15A 24-serving batch needs 18 cups of broth. Convert to quarts and cups.
  4. 16Convert 212\displaystyle 2\frac{1}{2} cups to fluid ounces using 8\displaystyle 8 fluid ounces per cup.

Meal-planning challenge

Coordinate multiple recipes and available supplies.

  1. 17Two 12-serving batches need how many cups of squash altogether?
  2. 18You have 4 cups of rice. Can you make 20 servings? How much rice remains?
  3. 19A cook accidentally uses 9 cups of squash. To keep the ratio, how many servings and cups of broth are needed?
  4. 20With 10\displaystyle 10 cups broth and 7\displaystyle 7 cups squash, which ingredient limits the batch and how many full servings can be made?
Open the complete solutions

Equivalent forms and clearly supported open-ended responses should receive credit.

Half and double batches

1. 3 cups broth, 2 cups squash, 34\displaystyle \frac{3}{4} cup rice, 38\displaystyle \frac{3}{8} cup oil, 1 tablespoon herbs

2. 12 cups broth and 8 cups squash

3. 1 12\displaystyle \frac{1}{2} cups

4. 38\displaystyle \frac{3}{8} cup rice and 12\displaystyle \frac{1}{2} tablespoon herbs

New guest counts

5. 9 cups

6. 2 14\displaystyle \frac{1}{4} cups

7. 5 tablespoons

8. 21316\displaystyle 2\frac{13}{16} cups

Ratio table reasoning

9. 12\displaystyle \frac{1}{2} cup per serving

10. 18 cups

11. 20 servings

12. s=18\displaystyle s=18

Kitchen conversions

13. 3 pints

14. 12 tablespoons

15. 4 quarts 2 cups

16. 20\displaystyle 20 fluid ounces

Meal-planning challenge

17. 12 cups

18. Yes; 3 34\displaystyle \frac{3}{4} cups are needed, leaving 14\displaystyle \frac{1}{4} cup

19. 18 servings and 13 12\displaystyle \frac{1}{2} cups broth

20. Broth limits the batch; 13\displaystyle 13 full servings

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