The Catlin Gabel first grade class spends the spring studying food for their science and social studies units--farm to table style. In groups, they choose a type of food of interest (fruits, vegetables, bread, meat, dairy) to research. They conduct interviews while on fields trips to a local grocery store and a farmer's market. Parents come to class and teach each group how to make a food from their category: dried fruit, jam, pickled veggies, loaves of bread, jerky, yogurt, and ice cream. Then groups create a "Food Museum" with activities and informational posters.
This was one of my favorites from this year: "chickens and things you make them in to."
Originally, Magnolia choose dairy, but then she wanted to specialize in goat products. Her teacher allowed Maggie to branch off from her group to create her own food museum--I love that about our school! Now, this girl is now passionate about goats.
She worked hard during work time and some of her free time on her exhibit, agonizing each evening, worried she'd wouldn't finish before the parent viewing event. Magnolia, and her teacher, were incredibly proud that she pulled it off. When I got to the event, as she showed me her museum, I realized why she had been worried, and was overwhelmed with pride myself.
She didn't just create the one required information poster or activity. Magnolia had made
three informational posters,
an Interactive "Fun Fact" board,
AND a goat game to test your new knowledge!
She really knew her stuff!
Some things I learned about goats from her exhibit:
- Goats have rectangular pupils to help them see in the dark
- Goats discovered coffee beans
- Goats are picky eaters
- Each breed of dairy goat gives a different flavored milk
