Little Bread Bakers

Both in October and November our cooking projects turned out to be quick breads - but between the many hand washings and requests for second chances to stir, they were anything but quick projects. Despite the clock we all had a blast and all four batches of breads turned out very tasty indeed!

In October we made Pumpkin Muffins and I think their favorite part of the whole project was passing the 4 different spices (cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, cardamom) around the table and  getting a chance to decide whether or not they smelled good or bad. They had very interesting responses as far as what it reminded them of....."it smells like pumpkin pie!"...."ooh I like this one it smells like trees". Hearing the kids speak their opinions about whether or not they like something can lead to lots of silly giggling and sound effects. I truly wish they could be recorded sometimes - such genuine curiosity about the world around them makes for some very entertaining conversations.

In November we made Graham Cranberry Raisin Bread which turned out to be a very yummy recipe despite the fact that it was new to us. It called for fresh cranberries, crushed up graham crackers (great for our "tough" guys to smash up with their fists), orange zest, raisins, spices and the rest of the baking basics. Since we baked on the Monday of Thanksgiving week we had small group sizes in both sessions, but that just meant the children had more individual time to participate.

Cooking projects are always an ideal classroom activity for many reasons, my favorite of which is the thinking and teamwork that happens when the kids are working in a large group. They really have to cooperate together to make their end product turn out, and their patience in waiting for their friends to take turns is truly admirable.  The language that emerges during conversation about mixing, measuring, and baking is usually based around words and concepts that they have to really think about. What IS the recipe for? What are ingredients? What is going to happen in the oven, and why not put it in the fridge? Fractions (like 3/4 of a cup, and 1/2 of a tablespoon) and measurements. Descriptions of what to look for - "until the batter is well mixed but still lumpy". It's important for them to start grasping the language of math and science, and the adjectives and adverbs of details. Aside from language the fine motor development involved in steadily pouring and stirring without spilling is a great way to give those little hands and wrists the practice they need. Even cracking an egg, as crazy as that sounds with a preschooler, they really are very good at controlling the egg shell and you can see the sparks in their eyes when that gooey wet egg comes out of the hard shell. Sure they get some on their hands, but it's worth the experience, fine motor practice, and all they need (once the egg shell is picked out of the batter) is another hand washing.  ALL of these things (and more!) are usually not common everyday language or activities for a 3 or 4 year old, but many of them have already peaked an interest in the science of cooking and baking. Children are generally ready and willing to get messy in the kitchen, so invite your toddlers and preschoolers to join you and you'll be surprised and the amount of learning that can happen when you give a kid a spoon and a measuring cup.

Our visit from the North Tahoe Fire Department

We had two separate visits on two different days from the NTFD and the kids in both classes were very excited to see them. Firefighter Tia talked to us about whether or not matches and lighters were toys or tools, and the kids were surprisingly accurate in their answers. They talked about calling 9-1-1- in an emergency, and knowing their address in order to tell someone on the phone. Some of the most important lessons, and ones that the children had much to say about were those on crawling below the smoke and not being afraid of a firefighter with all of their gear on, mask and tank included. They practiced crawling low below a "smoke" sheet and getting away from the fire to a safe spot.  The kids got to help a firefighter put on their "turnouts" (all of their gear) and then practiced crawling after them through the classroom. Some of the kids got to try on helmets and feel how heavy they are. It certainly made for some cute pictures! We wrapped up our visits by walking outside to see the massive fire truck and explore some of it's cool features - our PM class even got to go inside ambulance and they loved sitting on the benches and checking out the gurney. I'm sure you'll enjoy the pictures!