Spud Celebration

Today we wrapped up our study on growing potatoes.

Over the last couple of weeks we've talked about different ways we can eat potatoes.

As you see from the above list, mashed potatoes was mentioned first and often.

So we, the teachers, decided to have a mashed potato sundae bar.

This idea was mentioned in our Spuds in the Tubs training session.

 Our sundae bar featured...

a scoop of mashed potatoes,

 sour cream, shredded cheese,

 chives, bacon bits

and surprisingly chocolate sprinkles which we called dirt.

Before we choose our toppings our big buddy teacher talked about our 

Spud experience.

StrongStart, grade 1 and our grade 3 buddies all participated.

We had 5 tubs and our harvest was about 200 potatoes.

She had samples of potatoes.

How they looked when they were dug out of the dirt,

then washed off,

then cooked and mashed.

It was a great visual for our littlest ones.

Time to pick our toppings

and enjoy.

 It was a big thumbs up delicious.

Making Sunshine

Happy Solstice!

First day of summer, I almost forgot.

So quickly changed focus at the art table today.

Even though the sun was shining for us outside

we made our own sunshine inside.

 They spooned powder paint on to the tray,

and sprinkles if they wished.

Then sprayed water like rain falling.

 She asked how do we mix it,
we wiggled

our fingers

and her face lit up.

 She added a bit more paint (I mixed a little flour in the paint to make it thicker)

 Then made a print,

She now has her own sunshine to take home.

Hope you enjoyed the longest day of the year.

Play Trays week 20

What was on our trays last week?

Have a peek.

 Fishing bobbers, egg carton sections and tongs.

Next we had a stone X and O slate game with

glass stars and shells.

Then laminated pea pod cards with numbers.

Roll the plastercine into peas and place on the cards

to match the numbers.

Last you've seen before but this week I put our marble tree into a deep tub.

It worked great.

The marbles were contained and they could play with no worries of the little choking hazards getting all over the floor.

Riddle Me This?

We are focused on the ocean at the moment and I found

these riddles that describe different ocean creatures.

 

The paper pockets with matching pull out cards, I bought at a dollar store

sometime ago.

 

The riddle is on the outside of the card with the picture answer on the inside slide out.

Yes the answer is on the outside too.

If your children are reading then I would delete the answer.

But at my program the parent/grandparent reads the riddle for the child.

 

I like that the riddle also includes a word that rhymes with the answer 

on the third line.

 

The pictures I found on google images.

 

If all the cards are pulled out and mixed up they can easily

be matched

because the back of the pull out card is the same pattern as the pocket.

Hermit Crabs

Spirals have been a reoccurring theme for the past couple of months.

Today we used them again to make a hermit crab at the art table.

A friend of mine recommended Eric Carle's book

"A House for Hermit Crab"

to read before we go to the beach next week.

Eric Carle's illustrations are very child friendly.

Colourful and inviting.

We started by cutting a paper plate into a spiral for the shell.

 

Then we glued the spiral on to a sheet of paper.

Red squares of paper were provided to make the crab.

 Some children used the squares as is to make 

their crab.

 While others cut the squares into different shapes 

and sizes to build their crab.

 Conversation began about how many legs a hermit crab has.

We looked at the book and counted 6.

Then I googled the question and learned that in total

they have 10 legs.

Six legs on the outside and four more 

that are inside the shell.

The crabs were finished with eyes, antennae

and decorations.

Which led us to our story time and reading the book together.

I printed off images for the story and handed them out to the children.

The children became part of the storytelling process not just

the listener.

As I read they brought their picture up and added it to the 

crab.

Our plan is to search the beach next week for Hermit crabs.

Cinnamon Snail Swirls

Mmmm making bread is so much fun.

And smells so good.

This week we used our regular pretzel dough recipe 

to make Cinnamon Snail Swirls.

The children love using rolling pins.

This recipe is nice for letting children roll to their hearts content.

After rolling the dough flat and thin,

the next step is to brush melted butter on the dough.

Then sprinkle cinnamon sugar on top.

 There was enough dough for the grown ups to make their own.

Some children respond better to seeing what to do rather than being told.

What a great opportunity to model how to roll the dough.

Yum!

Dough Recipe

1 pkg yeast
1 1/2 cup hot water
1 tsp salt
1 Tbsp sugar
2 Tbsp oil
4 cups flour

Mix in a large bowl in the order shown.

You can use right away - no need to let rise.