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Paired Texts > The Twisted History of the Pretzel

by Marilyn Helmer 2022

We've identified these texts as great options for text pairings based on similar themes, literary devices, topic, or writing style. Supplement your lesson with one or more of these options and challenge students to compare and contrast the texts. To assign a paired text, click on the text to go to its page and click the "Assign Text" button there.

Did You Notice My Pineapple?
Did You Notice My Pineapple?
Jesse Sullivan

In "Did You Notice My Pineapple?" Sullivan explains how the pineapple became a status symbol in 17th century Britain.

Pair “Did You Notice My Pineapple?” with “The Twisted History of the Pretzel” and ask students to compare the importance of the pineapple and the pretzel in history. How did the pineapple become important to British society in “Did You Notice My Pineapple?”? How did pretzels become important to Europeans according to “The Twisted History of the Pretzel”? How are the two foods’ histories similar? How are pineapples and pretzels both used as symbols?

5th Grade Informational Text 910L
Magic Noodles
Magic Noodles
Tracy Vonder Brink

In "Magic Noodles," Tracy Vonder Brink describes how one creative Japanese business person changed the way people eat noodles all around the globe.

Pair “Magic Noodles” with “The Twisted History of the Pretzel” and ask students to discuss how food makes people’s lives better. How did Ando’s invention improve people’s lives in “Magic Noodles”? How did the pretzel make people’s lives better in “The Twisted History of the Pretzel”? Compare and contrast how instant ramen and pretzels were discovered or invented.

4th Grade Biography 840L
Eating in Silence
Eating in Silence
Pamela Huber

In Pamela Huber's poem "Eating in Silence," a speaker describes making lasagna: a recipe passed down by their grandmother.

Pair “Eating in Silence” with “The Twisted History of the Pretzel” and ask students to discuss how food brings people together. How does making lasagna in “Eating in Silence” bring the speaker closer to their family? How did pretzels bring people together throughout history?

5th Grade Poem
A Sweet Invention
A Sweet Invention
Tracy Vonder Brink

In "A Sweet Invention," Tracy Vonder Brink tells the story of how Ruth Wakefield invented the chocolate chip cookie.

Pair “The Twisted History of the Pretzel” with “A Sweet Invention” and ask students to compare the two food stories. How was the pretzel invented according to “The Twisted History of the Pretzel”? How was the chocolate chip cookie invented according to “A Sweet Invention”? How have pretzels and cookies changed over time? How do the authors describe the history of these foods using different text structures?

4th Grade Informational Text 690L
Gingerbread Houses
Gingerbread Houses
Marybeth Tew

In "Gingerbread Houses," Marybeth Tew teaches about the creative ways to build with gingerbread.

Pair “The Twisted History of the Pretzel” with “Gingerbread Houses” and ask students to discuss how foods can change over time. How did the pretzel change and become more popular over time according to “The Twisted History of the Pretzel”? How did gingerbread change and become more popular over time according to “Gingerbread Houses”? How do the two texts teach about the history of food in different ways?

5th Grade Informational Text 1070L