TP-Issue14.5

1 | DIY POPCORNMAKER Create your own popcornmaker by putting kernels into a sieve and placing another sieve on top. Slide the handles into ametre-longmetal pole.Wrap duct tape around the end of the pole towork as a handle. Each child can have a go at holding the popcornmaker. Ask pupils to pay particular attention to the sounds of the popcorn and the fire.They can then record these sounds –pop, crackle, crunch, etc –with clipboards and paper. Use thesewords towrite onomatopoeic poems about themaking of popcorn. 2 | FIVE SENSES CHOCOLATE TASTING Give pupils two pieces of chocolate still joined together fromthe bar. Place themon the back of children’s hands, rather than their palm, so they don’tmelt as fast. Write down adjectives to describe the chocolate. Snap the two pieces into singular pieces and describe the sound.Next, pupils can put one piece of chocolate in theirmouths andmove it around until itmelts, all the while holding their noses tightly.When they release their noses, the overwhelming smell and taste come rushing in.Try the second piece in the sameway and think of adjectives to add to the texture, smell and taste sections of your five sensory descriptions. 3 | BAKE BREADON STICKS Mix together 300g of self-raising flour, 240ml ofmilk, half a teaspoon of salt and one teaspoon of sugar. Show children how tomix the bread doughwith their fingers and knead it when the consistency is slighter softer than playdough.Tear off small pieces and roll into sausage shapes. Push these onto sticks, twisting the dough down the stick and pushing the ends in tightly to secure.Hold over the embers of a fire for 15 to 20 minutes.Once baked, carry out a taste test bymarking out of ten for taste, texture, appearance and smell, adding up the scores and dividing by four to get an overall score out of ten. FEATURES OUTDOOR ACT I V I T I ES 4 | SOUP TASTE TEST Making soup is a great way to encourage children to try newvegetables.Work in groups to peel and chop vegetables and herbs.Gather the peelings for compost. Bring a large pan of water to the boil on a fire and add all the ingredients to the pan, alongwith a vegetable stock cube or two. Place a lid on and simmer the soup for 20 to 30minuteswith occasional stirring. If youwant tomake pottage, add porridge oats for the last fiveminutes of cooking.Heat a bought tin of vegetable soup and undertake a blind taste test. Discusswhich soup pupils prefer andwhy. 5 | BAKE CAKES INORANGES Passing the bowl round the circle, beat together equal amounts of eggs, self-raising flour, caster sugar and softmargarine or butter.When the batter is smooth, give each child half an orange. Squeeze the juice into the battermix and stir well. Scoop the flesh out of the orangewith a spoon, leaving only the skin. Fill each orange skin two-thirds full with batter, cover with foil and place onto the cooling embers of a fire.Write the cookingmethod on clipboardswhile waiting for the cakes to bake.Test with a knife after 20 to 30minutes. 6 | READY, STEADY, COOK Gather panswith lids, a flat frying pan, a flask of boilingwater, foil, chopping boards, vegetable peelers, plastic bowls, tin openers, graters, scissors and safety knives.After lighting a fire, showchildren ten ingredients – for example, potatoes, broccoli, carrots, chickpeas, dried apricots, passata, corn on the cob, butter, cheese and pasta. Explain that each group of four can only choose four ingredients. Following 20 minutes of preparation time, one group at a time can cook on the firewith supervision,while other pupilswrite up recipes,methods and descriptions of their dish. Head outside and try these pupil-led activities that allow children to take control of their own learning 6 WAYS to investigate food in the great outdoors www.teachwire.net | 11 @scoutedsam @authoradam Theseideashavebeen adaptedfrom100Ideas forPrimaryTeachers: OutdoorLearning byAdamBushnell andSc .out.ed( £14.99, Bloomsbury)