While Langley students throughout the school were churning concepts and making discoveries Friday morning, second-graders in the science lab were churning butter and making waffles.
Foodprints teacher, Sarah Gaudreau, walked down the hall to fetch the children from their homeroom. When the kids realized it was their day to participate in the special gardening and cooking program, a cheer rose up from the group. Because, yes, second breakfast! Nothing wrong with that. But also, hands-on learning, making messes, working together and accomplishing a big goal - delicious food for everyone.
Foodprints teacher, Sarah Gaudreau, walked down the hall to fetch the children from their homeroom. When the kids realized it was their day to participate in the special gardening and cooking program, a cheer rose up from the group. Because, yes, second breakfast! Nothing wrong with that. But also, hands-on learning, making messes, working together and accomplishing a big goal - delicious food for everyone.
The kids were divided into several groups and each given a different task: some ground wheatberries into a fine flour, others shook jars of heavy cream to make butter. A group of children used kid-safe knives to cut up apples for a sweet compote, as another composed a few sentences describing what they know about butter; what does it look like, where does it come from, what is it used for? "It looks like a rectangle!" one shouted out, "We get it at Wal-Mart," said another. "Write it down," replied educational aide Ronnie Johnson.
The flurry of excitement throughout the room was also packed with learning opportunities. Math was done as ingredients were measured out. Chemistry was observed as those ingredients were combined and heated. Kids debated the efficiency of a low-tech antique mixer verses an electric one.
The flurry of excitement throughout the room was also packed with learning opportunities. Math was done as ingredients were measured out. Chemistry was observed as those ingredients were combined and heated. Kids debated the efficiency of a low-tech antique mixer verses an electric one.
Through Langley's partnership with FRESHFARM's Foodprints, children from preschool age through the school's eldest learners have the chance to participate in regular lessons like this one. And once the new garden is complete, the lessons will begin there - for a true farm-to-table journey. Discovering that food doesn't always have to come from Wal-Mart, but can be harvested from the earth or created from scratch with a little shaking, smashing and grinding, is an important lesson for city kids. And a lesson that ends with a stack of buttered waffles is one they'll remember.
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