We had two cooking projects on the go today-kale chips and coleslaw. Before we sat at the cooking table, we had a discussion about Monday's harvest. I was curious to see if the children remembered what we had pulled from the garden. Almost all of them remembered at least one vegetable and many of the children were able to recall all of them-kale, cabbage, beets and lemon balm. Since many of our children were already familiar with kale chips and professed to like them, we decided to make them first. Next, the cabbage-many of them had never tried it before so we went with a simple coleslaw recipe- generally I prefer a short list of ingredients so we can really taste each ingredient for its beauty; in this case, especially the cabbage.

We started with the kale chips. Cutting the leaves, tossing with some olive oil, sea salt and pinch of black pepper. Oh yes, and a few shakes of garlic powder.




Then onto the coleslaw

We cut

and cut

and cut some more

Then we added vinegar

 salt, pepper, and a wee bit of sugar



And ended up with a gorgeous coleslaw!

Coleslaw comments:

Jack: That's yummy!
Kolton: I like it.
Addie: I like it too. I tried it before at home.
Grace: I like it too.
Rhys: I do like it. Yum!
Makena: I don't like it-blah!
Connor: I LOVE it!
Kensie: I don't like it.
Emma: I really like it.
Joban: (covering his mouth) I don't like it.
Matias: I don't like it.
Kahlen: I like the kale chips and the coleslaw.

While chopping the vegetables I heard the following conversation:

Addie: My mom doesn't have a big knife like that. Where did you buy it?
Me: A kitchen store.
Addie: A kitchen store? I only have a small chef's knife.
Sebastian: I have a kid's kitchen at home.
Addie: I used to have one of those.
Connor: My mom can make butter chicken.
Addie: I like shopping.

I love how their conversations are both directly and indirectly related to the topic of conversation. This age group seems to have an ability to weave their ideas in and out of a conversation. I find it so wonderful that they mostly accept each others comments at face value- no judgement if it seems "off topic". They really just allow each person to contribute their thought at the moment. When do we lose this ability to be so generous in our conversations with others? Can we or should we strive to maintain some of this quality to our dialogues? I am going to continue to pay close attention to this way of communicating.

Emily

And,  Project Potato continues.... on Wednesday we investigated our Red Pontiacs. They were lovely! I wanted to introduce the children to a new recipe so I dug out my grandmother's old cookbook for a potato kugel recipe. Kugel is like a giant latke-grated potatoes, onions, oil and seasoning. Delicious when baked to golden brown.


Some of the children were fascinated with grating the potatoes and worked their fingers to the bone  (thankfully, not literally).

They added 2 eggs,

Peeled and grated onion,

Stirred,

Squeezed out the excess water (this was of great interest!),

Stirred some more,

Added flour and spices,

Spread it evenly in the baking pan (well, sort of evenly),

Then baked and cut into pieces for all to try,


Overall, the response was quite positive and several children had seconds and thirds. I love introducing the children to new foods or new combinations of food. Eating in a group also changes one's perception of the food. The influence of peers is strong, even at this age and I am intrigued at the power of one child's comments, whether they are positive or negative and how greatly they influence someone else's opinion.

What will this year hold on the culinary front? Will our " particular" eaters expand and open up to new textures and flavours? Will children go out of their comfort zone?

Emily

Last Friday we harvested our Russett potatoes and Red Pontiacs from the farm. We had a sensational first day at the farm and the children literally shouted out with joy at each and every potato dug out of the ground! During group time we sorted the potatoes and everyone had a guess as to how many we had of each variety.

The guesses were as follows:
Russett Potatoes- the range was from 8-100 The actual number was 28.
Pontiac Potatoes -the range was from 6-100 million 2 hundreds (this is NOT a typo). Actual number was 53.

We found it so interesting to listen to their estimates. Some children were very close to the number and yet some were so far from the actual. There is a lot to learn about how children process quantities and numbers-an inquiry for us teachers! A discussion was had about what to do with the potatoes and we voted on making the first batch into mashed potatoes.

Monday: Mashed Potato Day








Every single child tried them and only one child did not like them. Samples of comments:

Matias: Yes, I like it!
Jordyn: I want more.
Kahlen: No, I don't like it.
Makena: No, it's yucky. Now I like it. My tummy now says it is yummy!
Joban: I don't like it but then I do like it.
Sebastian: I want more. I love it!
Koltyn: I like them.
Connor: I love it, I want more.
Jack: That is so yummy.
Grace: Very good.

All in all a very successful first day of cooking and eating!

Emily

This week marks a new beginning for all of us. And, with all new beginnings, it provides us with an opportunity to reflect on the past and think about what is to come. I have been going to yoga a lot this past while and one of the things the instructors mention at the onset of each class is to create an intention for your practice.  I thought a lot about this concept and decided that it would be interesting and important to apply it to my teaching on a deeper level than in the past. So, as I move into the year, I am hoping to set intentions, which I believe are different than goals. For me personally, goals are more structured and outcome driven. Intentions imply more of a journey. Balancing intentions with flexibility and openness will be the challenge.  I also want to explore the idea of children setting their own intentions. Can this work? Will they understand? Can we help support this idea without creating comparisons or pressure? I am really not sure. And so we begin....

Monday

We placed a variety of natural "loose parts"(parts that can be moved and have no specific purpose) on our riser. Twigs, leaves, flowers, bull rush heads, rosemary sprigs and clay created much play. Suddenly, a child screeched out that there was a small bug. And, believe me, it was SMALL. So small that we could barely see it. Magnifying glasses were brought out and many eyes peered through trying to recognise the insect. No identification was made that day and the bug is now foraging somewhere out in the world.

Wednesday

Since the insect generated quite a bit of excitement I decided to bring in a beautiful preserved beetle that I had at home to see if the interest in bugs would continue. I brought it out at group time with an insect book ready at hand. Honestly my first instinct was to say "Look at this beautiful beetle." But, I resisted and passed the beetle around and asked what they thought it was. Oh, the answers that were excitedly blurted out were amazing:

• a mosquito
• a dragonfly
• a fly
• a ladybug ( to which a child said "It cannot be a ladybug. A ladybug has spots!"
• a crow (to which another child said "It isn't a bird. It doesn't have wings."
• a bumblebee
• a spider
• a grasshopper
• a daddy long legs

and lo and behold... a beetle.



I asked them how we could find out what it is. How can we find out information? Silence. Shoulder shrugs. Silence. I showed them the big book beside me. "Do you think we could use this book on bugs to see if we can identify our bug", I asked. Many children nodded or shouted out "Yes." I opened the book to the first page which had a clear, enlarged picture of a centipede. I asked them if it looked the same as our bug. They unanimously agreed that it did not. So we went to the next page. We agreed to look through more pages the next day. I then asked them to think about other ways they can get get information. One hand reached up high and the child said "The computer." Then came a stream of responses including an iPad, a Mini Ipad, and iPhone. Wow, Steve Jobs would be thrilled!

I think it is important to teach children how to access information; especially in our world where there is abundance of it. I am looking forward to looking through the book with the children and observing their ways of researching.


Emily

Preschool Daycamp July 2013

Preschool Daycamp August 2013