October 27, 2025 — At Clarkdale Elementary School, teachers are finding new ways to keep students engaged while they learn valuable lessons to prepare for their next steps in education.
First graders slipped on aprons and tested their skills in a Pizza Pop-Up Shop on Friday afternoon. Students used their creativity to make their own pizzas and sell them to parents using fake money provided to them by the school.
"In the classroom, we've been learning about shapes, equal shares, spending and saving, economics, and jobs, so they knew this was their job. They had to create a logo, a business name, and they made commercials in Canva with our innovation teacher, so they knew exactly what to do," said first-grade teacher Unique Duffy.
The ingredients for the pizzas were all grown by students in Clarkdale’s school garden.
The Clarkdale media center transformed into the Pizza Pop-Up Shop where groups of three students collaborated at individual tables. The tiny chefs used a small, portable oven to help their teachers as they baked a pizza.
"We went to the garden, grabbed the produce, and it's been fun to make the pizza," said first-grader Erin.
While it made for a fun-filled Friday for students and parents, it also presented a unique learning opportunity.
Students were responsible for asking parents to pay for the pizza and had to do math to learn how much change to give back and what to do with the money after they received it.
"I learned that we could save it or spend it," said first grader Isaiah.
It's the second year Clarkdale Elementary has hosted this event. During the Pizza Pop-Up Shop's first year, Clarkdale teachers found it to be a successful way to keep parents involved in their students' day-to-day education, while also creating a fun environment where students learn valuable lessons.
