Thanksgiving spirit

Baby, it's warm outside . . . but we celebrated Thanksgiving with hot apple cider anyway.  
















It's a Room 15 tradition for our third graders to convene to prepare hot apple cider for the class.  Into a big stockpot, the children pour three 64-ounce bottles of apple juice.  We then add a cinnamon stick, along with a sprinkle of peppercorns, cloves, and allspice.  This is the perfect opportunity for a little parts of the plant lesson on the spices (clove flowers, peppercorn berries, cinnamon bark, and allspice berries).

All morning, we enjoy the smell of spiced cider simmering on our little electric burner.















After lunch, we enjoy sipping hot cups of spiced apple cider while we read.  It's such a simple tradition but something our class really looks forward to.











There's a Book for That!
We love Molly's Pilgrim by Barbara Cohen.  It's a tender story of modern-day pilgrims who are still coming to the United States for religious freedom . . . and a beautiful reminder that we must appreciate, rather than ridicule, each other's differences.

Solar S'mores

9-21-16
Yesterday, we did an experiment about solar s'mores.  It was an experiment instead of an investigation because we were testing things.  We were testing to see if the sun was going to melt the chocolate with different cups.  Which cup would melt the chocolate fastest?  The clear cup won.  [Another group: The black cup melted the chocolate the fastest.]  I love this experiment because we got to eat them after the experiment.    O.S., 2nd grade & E.G., 3rd grade & G.M., 2nd grade

For each group, you will need Graham crackers, chocolate pieces (I use Hershey's snack-size bars and break each one in half), marshmallows (I get the flat StackerMallows), napkins or muffin papers, a thermometer, and clear plastic party cups (one painted white, one painted black, one covered in foil, and one control left clear).

First, the children hypothesize about under which cup the sun will melt the chocolate first.  They also consider safety.  What will we need to make sure this experiment is safe?  They then assemble their s'mores (without a top Graham cracker) and create a scientific illustration of the set-up before they take it into the sun.   The children also use thermometers to measure the indoor temperature in degrees Celsius.

Next, we move outside and observe as the sun's energy works its magic.  While they wait, the children use the thermometer once again to measure the outdoor temperature in degrees Celsius.

To reinforce our science safety rules, eating can only happen after the science is complete.  The children write up their results and apply their new knowledge to recommend the best color car to purchase in a hot climate.  Hint: We don't recommend a clear or black car.

Say goodbye with pancakes

Today, we say goodbye to this school year and send our third-years on their way to Upper Elementary.  It is always a bitter-sweet day.  To soften the transition, we celebrate with pancakes!

Each cooperative group works together one last time to make breakfast and then sits down at the table to eat together and celebrate their year of learning exploration.




With the support of parent volunteers, the children make scrambled eggs,

pancakes,

banana-orange-yogurt smoothies with a squirt of honey and some mint from our courtyard garden,

and real whipped cream to top fresh strawberries.


The children get the opportunity to tackle challenges such as whisking (and more whisking...and more whisking),















cracking eggs,

measuring ingredients,

and flipping pancakes.

The reward for their labor is to sit down and enjoy each other's food and company.

Meanwhile, another group begins cooking.
When one group is finished eating, they work together to clear and set the table for the next group.

On this special day, children are invited to get comfy with pillows and books for a read-a-thon

or enjoy board games and other non-electronic fun.

checkers

mancala

folding paper airplanes and testing for the best design

Tea for More than a Few

Preparations for Valentine's Day begin early around here.













We start by reviewing table manners:
* Pass serving dishes to the right.
* Do not reach across the table.
* Wait to begin until everyone is served.
* Place your napkin in your lap.
* Chew with your lips together.
* Enjoy quiet conversation.
* No "goofing around" or playing with food.
* Keep your elbows off the table.
* Use utensils for their intended purpose.
* Stay at the table until everyone is finished.
The children use lunch in the cafeteria to practice for a series of days.

Next, we get out the world map and have a lesson on tea growing regions, different tea traditions around the world, and the types of tea.

White tea--Only the newest tea leaves are picked with the white fuzz still on the leaves.

Green tea--fresh tea leaves are dried and rolled or ground into a powder for the Japanese Matcha.

Oxidized, fermented, and compressed Pu-Erh.  This tea is so compressed is requires a special tea needle!

Black tea

On the day of our tea, families send supplies: heavy cream, lemon curd, sugar cubes, scones, madeleines (a French tea cake), ginger snaps, and tulips.  The children then use a whisk to whip the cream, 

arrange the food beautifully on trays and in baskets, 

reorganize our desks and chairs into a long table, and set the table with flowers, teacups, plates, and napkins.

We brew four kinds of tea: a white blooming tea (always spectacular!), genmaicha (a green tea with roasted brown rice), oolong, and ginger peach black tea.  Finally, we sit down together to enjoy.