Use school events for learning – class party edition

At this time of year it can be easy to bemoan all the events taking place that place disruptions in the ‘timetable.

Or we could use these last few days as opportunities for learning.

Class parties which often involve ordering takeaways and lots of fizzy drinks for the children and let them watch a movie for the afternoon. There is learning going on but if examine the traditional model we are teaching children.

• the adults will do the organising, you just need to show up
• celebrations need lots of junk food
• that you need to sit watching a screen

Instead class party preparation can look like this:

In preparing their own food the children are

• Collaborating
• Communicating
• Measuring
• Taking responsiblity

The children need to do some maths on the fly as I split the recipe into two so we could have more than one group preparing food.

I also took away measuring cups so they had to work out how many half cups they’d need for 2 cups of flour.

‘Ohh this is just like the maths we’re doing in class.’

It’s amazing how  highly invested the children were in ensuring their maths was correct when they know they’ll be eating their answers tomorrow.