Cooking

Yesterday the children took part in another cooking adventure with Sarah. They all washed their hands ready to listen to the recipe instructions. Each child was given a bowl, although some chose to share and worked together. The children reflected as they stirred on past cooking experiences. They compared this process with the process of cooking pizza and according to Tamryn it was similar to making; 'eye ball cup cakes'. The children are becoming more confident in their cooking abilities and are able to predict what ingredient or step comes next and will ask the educator many questions keeping them on their toes: e.g. when it is time to add the 'butter' - roll the dough - and how long it will be in the oven.... What do they say about too many cooks in the kitchen?

It seems cooking is a great learning experience for children, one that encourages them to reflect on past experiences, compare knowledge, make predictions and ask questions. Cooking also gives children opportunities to share, take turns and feel a sense of achievement when they successfully make something for everyone to enjoy.

Below is a link to a video of our preschool chefs: Lilly, Amy, Samantha Lee, Riley, Levi, Amelia, Tamryn, Kara, Summer, and Matilda

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tXIDEvSW1LU

Past Cooking Experiences:

Halloween Eye Ball Cup Cakes:

Turtle Cakes: For our adopted sea turtle: 'Hector'

 As you can see the children are involved in the whole process from start to finish and either celebrate by sharing a feast or by contributing to the wider community.

Building

  I have recently had an operation and been stuck in bed, fortunately for me the preschool is not that far away and thanks to technology I have been able to watch the wonderful learning unfolding in my absence. What a great idea it was to build a window! Thank you Megan for being so creative and supporting the children's interest in building.

  

Here we see Asher ,Malu, Mak, Seth and Urakai using all their hammering skills and engineering to add new pieces to their window. Below Asher and Malu work together with one holding the wood while the other hammers in the nail

  

For children to work together so collaboratively they must poses traits like; respect and empathy, they must be able to communicate clearly and share a common goal. This window making business is a big deal for 4 year olds and should be viewed as such an achievement.

  

Hmmmm seems the extra piece did not quite suit this window. Asher examines the finished product. Experimentation, problem solving and creative thinking are all skills that the children clearly used to build this window.

                     

Now it's time to paint the window and what better way than all together rainbow style...

                       


                       

Later it seems a seat was constructed.... 

                       

The seat must of looked comfy. There must be some kind of satisfaction sitting on something you made yourself.

  

It was too crowded over there, time to move the seat to a more private location. Asher and Conan carefully carry their seat along the barefoot path.

Wow would you look at the seat now. What a busy building day

Spider Venom

We have been following the children's interests closely as we returned from the school holidays and we noticed a keen fascination with bugs - especially spiders! So we put our ideas together and came up with a venom making learning experience. First we had to catch a spider - (a small garden spider). Ambrose is our spider catching expert and set about the task, finding one within minutes. Soon we all had magnifying glasses and were closely examining the small green and white spider. Suddenly we saw the spider begin to make a web! Ambrose: "Look, it's making a web" 

What kind of spider was it? 
What colour would it's venom be? 
How poisonous is it?  

These are all the questions we posed each other and the experience became very scientific.....
               
                   

Next we set up a spider laboratory complete with droppers and different coloured 'venom'. We discussed what spider would likely have each colour - "who would have red venom?" Asher: "A red back" Ambrose agreed: "Yeah, a red back would" So Asher set about making the red back spider venom in his vile. We then referred to our list off the most deadliest spiders to decide what venom to make next and how deadly it would be. Ambrose wanted to examine the list before making his venom.

                   

Soon we had lots of venom containers and had to make labels to warn people of what was in the containers. We decided putting a big cross on the lids would serve as a warning. Riley, Jules, Malu and Obi over saw the label making and used the list to match their friends venom to a spider.
                   

 

Our most deadliest spider list, label making resources and putty to seal the containers. 

The children used very specific language and asked lots of questions about the process of extracting venom from a spider. We discussed how the scientists would place the spiders fangs over a jar edge and 'milk' the spider. Ambrose: "One drop of venom and your dead" Asher: "Is that real venom?" "Do they really do that Sarah?"

    

Ambrose decided to make a combination of red back and funnel web venom. He carefully extracted the red liquid and mixed it with the black liquid. He explained that his venom was the most deadly and that he was "going to test it on an ant" Soon we had lots of venom combinations and the children became very experimental. Ayrielle: "I combined all three venom's together: red back, funnel web and mouse spider"

     

                              Charlotte with her red back venom.