This term has been a very busy start for the Year 4s and they are loving the new and exciting experiences in the kitchen and garden where they are being introduced to some very useful and important life skills.
Our program teaches the children where our food comes from and shows them how to care for plants as they grow to maturity. The children are involved in all the hands-on activities needed to tender a thriving garden. They then learn the necessary kitchen skills to produce pleasurable food that tastes good and is also good for them.
A very important part of our program is the social interactions that it provides as the children work together to achieve the tasks that they are set. Problem solving and cooperative skills are enhanced and the values of perseverance, effort and excellence are required to be successful.
In the first year of the kitchen and garden students learn how to use knives correctly and safely as well as how to prepare the soil and plant seedlings. So many important skills are being learned and it is exciting to see the enthusiasm and fun being expressed on the happy faces as they are engaged in the lessons.
As the coordinator of the program it is rewarding to see the happy and enthusiastic participation that each session brings.
Geoff McLeod
Comments by the students from T5:
Taylor said:
In Garden Week 3 the Brilliant Broccoli had to feed the worm towers by filling them with compost. One of the towers was empty to the very bottom. There were all types of compost like banana skins, carrots and lots of others. I loved the job that my group got to do today even though it smelt a lot!
James said:
The beetroot plants had purple roots and it was a really FUN experience in the garden today!
Olivia said:
My group’s job was to fertilise the plants and if we finished early we got to pick the bugs off. It’s so interesting doing garden.
Taylor said:
In Garden Week 5 Brilliant Broccoli had to harvest celery. First we had to try to pull it out with a pitchfork. Then we cut the roots off with some secateurs. Then we washed the celery and gave it to the kitchen. It was SUPER Fun!
Ryder said:
In our first kitchen we discussed the rules needed to run a safe kitchen. Then we made Margherita Pizza and it was AMAZING!
Roka said:
I liked making the Margherita Pizza.
Renison said:
Going to Kitchen is my favourite thing to do. I loved making the zucchini slice and the Margherita Pizza.
Shaye said:
In our three kitchen sessions we have made pizza, zucchini slice and Tomato and Basil Bruschetta. They were all SO GOOD!
Mary said:
I Really Really LOVE the kitchen garden lessons!
Tilly said:
The food in the kitchen is AMAZING!
Koby said:
I am really looking forward to what we will be making next time.
and Taylor ended this report by saying:
I think that it was an amazing idea to start the kitchen garden program.
Photos and report by Geoff Mcleod; Posted by D. Veary
Canteen