Pierceton Elementary School fourth-grade student Bryce Gagnon participated in the “Nibble Indiana” activity.

PIERCETON — On Aug. 27, Mrs. Baum and her fourth-grade students at Pierceton Elementary School participated in an edible Indiana graham cracker activity. Mrs. Baum called it “Nibble Indiana.”

As a part of the student curriculum, fourth-grade students at Whitko get an opportunity to focus on Indiana history.

Using a map they had constructed earlier in the week, PES fourth-graders nibbled their way around the edges of a large graham cracker to form the outline of the state of Indiana. They quickly discovered that large bites only made the cracker crumble, but small nibbles helped them to establish more accurate outlines of the state.

They were encouraged to add toppings to their cracker based on the topography of the state using blue, vanilla and chocolate icings. To the north, students used blue icing to signify the Northern Moraines and Lakes. Moraines are the footprints left behind from the glacial ice age. According to the Indiana Geological Survey created by Indiana University, “moraines in Indiana are somewhat arc-shaped, discontinuous ridges that in some places, such as near Valparaiso, stand in bold relief; but in areas like central and northeastern Indiana, they are scarcely distinguishable.” For Hoosiers, the most well-known of the moraines are located in Valparaiso, Fort Wayne and Mississinewa.

Chocolate icing coated the central portion of the state representing the Central Till Plains. These are the flat areas that are characterized by low hills and valleys. They also play a major role in the success of the Indiana agriculture industry.

Baum discovered the fun activity for her classroom after Whitko’s Anne Clark used it in her classroom the previous year. In addition, Baum is also part of a group on her social made up of other teachers who said the “Nibble Indiana” activity would be a great way to connect her students to the material.