Ms. Davis's Classroom Investigations
Exploring With Baking and Cooking
October 2012
During the
course of the semester I have observed the children exploring with cooking in
several areas such as the dramatic play area, the sand table and during outdoor
time. On more than one occasion, I have recorded the children’s explorations
with baking/cooking in the kitchen area and in the sand table, as they pretended
to prepare cakes, cookies and/ or meals for myself, family, friends and love
ones.
The children were actively engaged in their exploration and made sure to apply their prior knowledge and awareness with cooking/baking by suggesting measurements for ingredients, which ingredients to include, and a time for their creation to be done. Additionally, during outdoor time, the children compile everything from wood chips to twigs as a means of concocting a meal or a cake for a birthday celebration.
To challenge the children’s curiosity, I incorporated a Spork (a
spoon/fork) into the sand table and recorded their responses as they tried to
decipher what the contraption was. Some children were familiar with the object
while others used the Spork to mix and stir their make-believe meal and/or
dessert.
The children were actively engaged in their exploration and made sure to apply their prior knowledge and awareness with cooking/baking by suggesting measurements for ingredients, which ingredients to include, and a time for their creation to be done. Additionally, during outdoor time, the children compile everything from wood chips to twigs as a means of concocting a meal or a cake for a birthday celebration.
After witnessing the children’s eagerness to explore with the components of baking/cooking I decided to use pumpkin scented play dough as a means of extending their exploration. This experience, which lasted over an hour on two occasions, captured the children’s interest and encouraged them to continue to explore with the baking aspect of the activity. The pumpkin scent from the play dough along with the cookie cutter shaped like a person, proved to be a success. Children infused the family component during cooking, referring to the members of their family or members which make up a family as a whole. The students used rolling pins to flatten the play dough and made cookie replicas of moms, dads, babies, grandmothers and grandfathers. “Cookies!” shouted one student. “We have to put them in the oven” explained another. “I’m going to make the whole family and I’ll be done…Mom, Dad, Baby, Grandma and the Grandpa” rejoiced a different student.
