Wednesday, October 20, 2010

Digging with the First Graders

Tuesday I went to help with the first graders.  Usually I help with reading, math, read the class a story, assemble the homework packets and go home.  Not this week.  I also helped dig up potatoes.

The school has garden plots for each classroom.  Adults do most of the work and the children help and learn.  They grow corn, squash, pumpkins, tomatoes, and different types of potatoes.  The class had already dug up some potatoes.  Ms. H brought an electric skillet, knives, and bowls.  She was going to cook the potatoes that afternoon. 

Ms. H with a wicked smile asked me to take 4 children to the garden and dig for more potatoes.  This is why I never wear good clothes to school. We went out and the kids had a ball digging. (I did some digging too.) Number one they were out of class, two they were playing in dirt.  We found several more potatoes and took them back to class.

The children took turns washing the potatoes, which were muddy.  This was more fun than digging, water water everywhere.  Then I cut the potatoes in thin strips and turned them over to the children.  They took turns dicing the potatoes with fairly dull knives.  I threw the potatoes into a bowl of water and they were ready for cooking.

That was a fun project.  I worked with every child in the class. Usually I only work with a few children each week.  This was a special day.  And I really didn't have much mud on me.

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