Links to FDK

Specific and overall expectation

The FDK relates to this activity as it builds opportunities for children to develop stronger language skills, through in class discussions before and after the experiment about what they know about cookies and what they will do differently the next time they visit this activity (1.2 social development). The children will also communicate with each other when they are exploring the activity as they ask each other what ingredient they should add more off or less, communicate with each other as they share the materials and make connections with their past experiences seeing someone bake in the kitchen and using what they observed in the activity (1.5 language). They can also engage in elements of drama as they role-play what a baker does or what they see their parents do in the kitchen (the arts 2.1). The children can learn the importance of hygiene as they wash their hands before handling the ingredients and may develop a stronger understand through communicating with their teacher who may ask them “why should we wash our hands” (1.3 Health and physical activity). They are having active engagement with each other as they communicate their reactions and questions during the whole learning experience (1.8 language). They are also having lots of time to explore and make observations about the cookies they are going to make as they explore with the ingredients, the materials such as the measuring cups and observing their finished cookies as they taste, touch and smell their cookies (2.2 science and technology). By having lots of materials the children may start to “compare and order two or more objects according to an appropriate measure (e.g. temperature, capacity) and use measurement terms (e.g., hot/cold for temperature, small/medium/large for capacity)” (Mathematics 2.1). Lots of questions can be raised in this learning experience as the children may ask questions about “how much ingredients they should put”, “what happens in the oven that cooks the cookies?”, and by exploring with the activity it gives children the ability to answer their own questions as they are able to find them out for themselves as they make their cookies (2.1 science and technology). The children may also start to become aware of their personal safety and safety of others as they learn that oven mitts are used to prevent your hands from getting burnt since the oven is really hot (science and technology 4.1). This activity can be extended by letting the children revisit the activity after the first attempt of making the cookies by showing the children the chart of cookies that show if you add more of flour the cookie will be more cake like. This can provide opportunities for the children to relate back to what they learned and change their recipes.

Sharing materials (using one bowl)

Measurement 

Understanding safety (oven mitts protect you from heat)