ELLINWOOD — Ellinwood Grade School fourth graders learned practical measurement skills to supplement in-the-classroom learning on Tuesday, spending the day at Ellinwood High School using the student kitchens and wood lab.
The students baked sugar cookies with gleaming blue frosting, following a recipe given to them by teachers Angela Peterson and Carrie Feist. With reminders to carefully measure, the students started by measuring the flour and smoothing off the extra. While some needed additional reminders not to skim the extra into the mixing bowl, after a couple of tries, the kids got it.
The students were told to be especially careful measuring the baking powder, although some students asked for baking soda despite what the recipe said. Most cooks only make that mistake once.
In groups of 2-4, the fourth graders took turns mixing with the electric mixer, using the different cups and spoons and reading the recipe. After the recipe was completed, the students cut out the cookies with a glass and baked them. It wasn’t long before the rich, creamy scent of fresh baked cookies filled the hallway.
After they cooled, the cookies were frosted.
The students made 150 cookies and were planning on giving them to other classes at EGS. “We’re just finishing up a unit on measures, units, weights and capacities,” said Peterson.
Some students from the Future Business Leaders of America class helped out to keeps egg shells out of the batter and the project moving forward.
Wood lab
While dust flew, the fourth graders used wood shop skills were completely new to most of them. With volunteers, the kids sawed, hammered, and measured while following the written directions to make the bird house.
“Measure twice, cut once,” the students were told the age-old advice of wood workers everywhere.
Using hand saws, hammers, rulers, clamps and a hand planer, they created a durable bird house that will be donated to the volunteers who helped in the wood shop.
“It’s good, practical experience,” said Feist.
This is the first year that the classes have done a real-life application of their measuring skills. The teachers and students enjoyed the day out of the classroom, and they are hoping it will become an annual event.