I decided to incorporate a little scientific explanation into my cookie making activity with my son's kindergarten class (since anything done actually has to be educational!)
Can anyone recommend a good website that explains the science (what the ingredients do and how they interact) in layman's terms, so it can be easily translated to kindergarten speak?
TIA!
Oh, I was about to recommend all kinds of food science books, definitely not kindergarten speak! 
Oh, I was about to recommend all kinds of food science books, definitely not kindergarten speak!
That's okay... recommend away ....I do have a university degree (which I paid good money for) so there is some hope that I can figure it out and translate to k- speak!
When I do a presentation for kids, we talk about how math and science influences cooking. You can keep it simple, but talk about how to double or half recipes, etc. A good general site is "cooking for engineers." Just make it simpler so the kindergarteners can comprehend. http://www.cookingforengineers.com/
This is a really intersting document:
http://www.kswheat.com/assets/Baking%20Labs/Substitution%20Science%20-%20Cookies.pdf
For books: Bakewise by Shirley Corriher, and On Food and Cooking by Harold McGee. Both very technical but hopefully can be brought down to kindergarten level.
Website: http://www.bakingandbakingscience.com/
For kindergartners, there are a lot of things that you could do make it "educational" without going too far in depth about the science of baking. A lot depends on what kind of cookies you plan to make with them.
For example, if you wanted to make drop cookies with them, you could focus on nutrition - adding in ingredients that area healthy (nuts, flax seed, fruit pieces, etc).
Or,if you wanted to make cut-out cookies, you could use letter shaped cutters to focus on their letter of the week, spelling their name, or a specific sound.
Any kind of cookies that they can knead and/or shape (like when playing with play dough) are good for building the little muscles in their hands which are necessary for beginning writers (holding a pencil, etc.), which is important.
Another option would be to pick a book to read to them and base the cookie making on the book... like maybe reading them "The Gingerbread Man" or "The Gingerbread Baby" and them making gingerbread cookies, or making butterfly shaped letter cookies after reading them "The Butterfly Alphabet" or making chocolate chip cookies after reading them the book "If You Give a Mouse a Cookie" ....
Another option would be to pick a book to read to them and base the cookie making on the book... like maybe reading them "The Gingerbread Man" or "The Gingerbread Baby" and them making gingerbread cookies, or making butterfly shaped letter cookies after reading them "The Butterfly Alphabet" or making chocolate chip cookies after reading them the book "If You Give a Mouse a Cookie" ....
I love this idea! It is an owl theme, as they had a rehabilitated owl in visiting the class and are doing other projects around the owl. I am doing NFSC owl cut-outs and we'll decorate them. I will see if I can find a related book....Thanks!
Oh, I was about to recommend all kinds of food science books, definitely not kindergarten speak!
That's okay... recommend away ....I do have a university degree (which I paid good money for) so there is some hope that I can figure it out and translate to k- speak!
Well let's see, there's "I'm just here for the Food" and "I'm just here for More food" both by Alton Brown.
"What Einstein told his cook" (and What Einstein told his cook, book 2) both by Robert L. Wolke
"Cookwise, the secrets of cooking revealed" and "Bakewise, the how's and why's of successful baking" both by Shirley O. Corriher
"How baking works" by Paula Figoni
and last but not least "On food and cooking, the science and lore of the kitchen" by Harold McGee.
As you can see, food science was my "thing" last year! 
my suggestion would be to check out the recipes and episode information on Food Network's website for Alton Brown's "Good Eats" program.
He did an episode of chocolate chip cookies, three varieties: Thin, chewy, and puffy. I just found a transcript of the episode at this site. All the science behind the different types is explained. Gotta LOVE Alton Brown!! 
http://www.goodeatsfanpage.com/season3/Cookie/CookieTranscript.htm
HTH,
Scott
Another option would be to pick a book to read to them and base the cookie making on the book... like maybe reading them "The Gingerbread Man" or "The Gingerbread Baby" and them making gingerbread cookies, or making butterfly shaped letter cookies after reading them "The Butterfly Alphabet" or making chocolate chip cookies after reading them the book "If You Give a Mouse a Cookie" ....
What a fun idea! Here's hoping you can find a fun children's book about owls.
Another option would be to pick a book to read to them and base the cookie making on the book... like maybe reading them "The Gingerbread Man" or "The Gingerbread Baby" and them making gingerbread cookies, or making butterfly shaped letter cookies after reading them "The Butterfly Alphabet" or making chocolate chip cookies after reading them the book "If You Give a Mouse a Cookie" ....
I love this idea! It is an owl theme, as they had a rehabilitated owl in visiting the class and are doing other projects around the owl. I am doing NFSC owl cut-outs and we'll decorate them. I will see if I can find a related book....Thanks!
These two are great for fiction for young children...
Good Night Owl by Pat Hutchins
The Littlest Owl by Caroline Pitcher
I too, am a fan of Alton Brown's, "I'm Just Here For More Food". I read so many baking science books and this one, read first, will make the others easier to comprehend. But even this will be over their heads. Kids will not be able to comprehend baking science until they are ready for elementary school science.
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