Week 6- Cooking

Cooking offers many opportunities for learning.  Some of the benefits to Maths are comparing capacity (full, half full, nearly empty).  This week please focus on weight.  Usually we would do this with a balance scale in the Reception class, but we also use normal weighing scales alongside, so the children can observe the numbers increasing/decreasing and use as discussion point.  

Cooking also helps with Science and exploring changing states (liquid cake mix changing to a solid cake).  It is important that the children are questioned during the process and asked what has happened ('It was 'runny' now its not').  It was interesting when I asked the children during our porridge making, many struggled to say the differences that they had observed.  If your child is still unable to put into words what has happened, tell them and draw attention to the differences/changes.  

Please encourage the children to have a go at making different things with you this week.  Please take photos and perhaps write a note exactly what your child said ie for toast "It was white and soft and now its yellow, golden, brown".  

As I am fully aware that it is proving difficult to get flour or eggs.  For that reason, I will not give anything specific to make.  But, if you can use a recipe that would be helpful for the children to see the different weights and also to help follow instructions.

Please teach new vocabulary: recipe, heavier, lighter, equal etc.  Re-cap previously taught vocabulary associated to capacity.  Explain what is happening and what you are doing and why.  

I have attached a recipe (if you are lucky enough to have all these ingredients).  If not, use what you have and maybe you could write the list of instructions/ingredients/weights and your child can then try and weigh and follow along with you.  

I've also added some worksheets.

This is one of my favourite things to teach the children...I hope you have fun and I wish I was sharing this experience with them!