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Friday, January 11, 2008

Mmmm....what is that wonderful smell?

You'll be glad to read that, although I wrote down a bunch of funny answers from today's DIBELS testing, I left the paper on my desk. Believe me, I realize not one of you enjoys these little stories the same way I do!

This week we started a new unit in reading. The theme is food. As I mentioned Tuesday, we read a book called Apple Farmer Annie. In the back of the book are some recipes for applesauce, apple bread and apple muffins. When we read the book on Monday, I told the babies I would bring my "cooking pot," (aka, my crock pot) and we would make the applesauce recipe. Actually, I figured we would just make cinnamon apples, since I didn't think the crock pot would cook them enough for applesauce. I asked our lunch lady to save us some apples, which are abundant in the lunchroom, which she did yesterday. Today, as promised, I brought the cooking pot, sugar and cinnamon, and my apple/peeler/corer/slicer. (The greatest invention ever!! It's from the Pampered Chef, and I LOVE it!!)

We skipped our usual morning routine, and went right to work. I had intended to let each one of the babies do an apple on the machine, but then I realized I couldn't possibly use 27 apples. Luckily, they were perfectly content to just watch me do it. Admittedly, the machine is totally cool to watch, so I wasn't that surprised. I chopped the apples, put them in the pot, added the sugar and cinnamon, and a little water, and turned the dial. By lunchtime, the room had the most delightful aroma wafting through it. I wanted to let them cook as long as possible, so went to our usual snack time, then came back and enjoyed the apples during the last half hour of the day.

The babies LOVED it! By the time I started serving the last table, the first table was already asking for seconds. The whole "project" was so easy, I told the babies we could do it every week. Like I said, we have more apples than we can use in the lunchroom. Most get thrown out at the end of the week. Next week, though, I'm going to bring at least two crockpots because there really wasn't enough to make them happy. Even though the pot was literally filled to the top in the beginning, once they cooked down, there wasn't as much as I thought there would be. And, every single one of them eat their serving, which certainly doesn't happen when they just get the apple for snack.

I had intended to post some photos for you of our 'apple party,' but of course, I didn't remember to bring my digital camera today. I guess you'll just have to take my word for it : )

One of the girls I had dinner with tonight suggested I use a potato masher next week on the apples once they're cooked, to actually turn it into applesauce. She's so smart!

Well, it's time to get my own "baby" into bed. He's taking the entrance exam for the high school he wants to attend tomorrow morning, bright and early! He needs his rest, so I'm off to be Mean Mommy! Have a great weekend!

5 comments:

Mary Beth said...

I used to do Fun Food Fridays with my kids using the Kindergarten Cafe from the old Mailbox Magazines. We always made a mess, but we had so much fun and if I could get parent volunteers on back-to-school night, it helped defray the costs. I loved "cooking" with my class!

ChiTown Girl said...

I LOVED Mailbox Magazine! Trust me, there aren't many of my parents that I would want volunteering! One of my friends, who also works at the Hell-Hole bakes cookies with her kids every year. She brings in two or three toaster ovens and the bake them in there. So fun!

Naturally, one of the kids' favorite recipes is for play dough, so we make that often. I just wish we had more time for these fun activities, but sadly we don't. We're too busy with "drill and kill," and constant testing to do anything fun and memorable. I'm so glad I broke the rules yesterday, skipped reading time, and made the apples. I hope I gave the babies a wonderful memory they look back on someday.

Najia said...

You did. Don't think otherwise. You're a great teacher. :-)

Is your son trying to get into Whitney Young? That's where I went to school. Good luck to him. Go Lex!

Helen/Spike and Drusilla OK Citizens said...

What a cool teacher you are. I never had teachers like that! Good luck to your son tomorrow!

MrKewl said...

Hi,
I like your article on your adventures in making Applesauce. Was a fun read. :)
I have a review site for Apple Peeler Machines and I would like to post a link here as I think people reading your article would find it of interest.

http://applepeelermachine.com/

Thanks.
Jeremy