We “cook” something almost every week in P4 (and will do even more, beginning next month). Cooking offers opportunities for supporting learning in math (counting, quantitative reasoning, measuring); social studies (sharing taking turns, waiting, helping); fine motor development (scooping, leveling, stirring, shaking); language (explaining, requesting); and cognitive (recalling, explaining, solving problems) areas. We often cook on Fridays because Fran’s presence allows Julie and me to be more available throughout the room and Fran loves to cook with kids! The class has made applesauce, butter, potato latkes, and cookie reindeer, to name a few things.
We start by preparing things that use only a single ingredient and focus on the process. As the year progresses, we’ll tackle more complicated, multi-ingredient recipes.
This past week, the class made orange juice.
Almost everyone signed up on the Morning Message to help and everyone had a small glass of juice to enjoy at snack time. The kids tried out a few ways of getting the juice out of the oranges and into the pitcher. I brought in some manual citrus reamers (which didn’t work so well) and an electric juicer (which worked well until it overheated) and then they turned to kid power (problem solving).
Does anyone have a non-citrus juicer we can borrow for a future cooking experience?
Do you have a special recipe you enjoy making with your child at home and would be willing to come in and make with the kids at school? We’d love to have an expert!! Let me know and we can set up a day that works for you!
