Home Ec: Currently Cooking: Rustic Apple tarts and fried rice

Last week we made 'Rustic Apple Tarts' with our Grade 8s. They make their own dough on day one and then day two they fill their tarts. I have to say, VERY delicious!!!

Our grade 6/7s made fried rice. Day one was chopping veggies and preparing while day two was frying everything up - pretty delicious! I think if we had the budget to add chicken or a meat, it would have been even better!

As part of the 'Re Think Your Drink' and 'SIP Smart' lessons, we make healthy smoothies each term so students can taste how even avocado, kale, spinach, berries and rice milk can taste delicious!

Speaking of smoothies, this article about smoothies was pretty interesting... I think people forget that even though fruit is providing natural sugars, it is still sugar (albeit better than added sugars) moderation is key.

This week we are finishing up our holiday baking (sugar cookies and shortbread) before Winter Break. January is term three... I can't believe how quickly these Home Ec terms go by! 8 or so weeks! Crazy! And they are only 40 minute blocks each day!

C is for Cookie....

I love this! Since I am teaching Home Ec two days a week this year, I am always looking for visual aides to help in my teaching. We are in term two now, which is exciting because we got through term one and are repeating most of the recipes and lessons now. As part of the cookie making home lab for our students, we had a variety of shapes, sizes and textures created. This is a nice photo I will show my class as we discuss why cookies turn out differently and what role certain ingredients play in baking.



Thanks pinterest!

Home Ec: Checking In #homeecteacher

Wow, October is half way over, I feel like I am finally getting my head wrapped around the ins and outs or teaching Home Ec again! I meant to post more sooner, but just haven't had the time... but I want to post more! As a new home ec teacher, I am learning so much and want to share it with others who may find themselves teaching home ec, but also to seek ideas from those of you more experienced home ec teachers =)

My job share partner teachers M-W and typically does the recipe and demo with the students along with the lessons. My Thurs and Fri is typically cooking/lab days and on off weeks continuation of the lessons.

We are doing just foods/cooking, not sewing, which I have taught in the past (Sock Monkeys for 6/7s, PJ pants for 8s)

I wanted to share some of the labs we have made. I didn't get photos of the cheese scones, quesadilla, fruit tarts or berry muffins, however, I do have some of our other labs....

Grade 6/7s did fruit crisps... messy but delicious!

Grade 8s did pizza pockets. Dough was Day 1, Stuffing was Day 2

Grade 6/7s made personal/co-operative pizzas

My face says it all... this was my FIRST lab day, It felt so great to see all the students enjoying their muffins!

Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins - these were so yummy!

So, although things are VERY busy, they are going very well! I am really enjoying Home Ec and as first term comes to an end in a couple weeks, I feel like second term will be a blast now that I am used to my new position!!

Phases of the Moon - demonstrated with Oreo Cookies

I recently posted another 'OREO COOKIE' science lesson idea here then I saw this one on pintrest and thought I should share it also! Yummy Science!

http://pinterest.com/pin/184788390930323605/