Benton Community School District offers Alternative Kindergarten as an option to bridge preschool and Kindergarten. The curriculum used, Newmark Learning, is literacy based including nursery rhymes and familiar stories. Many books that are read lend themselves to inquiry and hands-on activities.
At the end of September, students helped to make applesauce following a unit on Apples and Johnny Appleseed. The children used a turn-style peeler to peel the apples. They tasted several kinds of apples and discovered which they thought were sweet and those that were tart.
During the month of October, students had the opportunity to bake a loaf of bread after reading The Little Red Hen. Each child added ingredients to the bread machine. As the bread began to cook, students were excited to smell the aroma. For a snack that afternoon, students had the choice to top their slice of bread with strawberry or grape jam, honey, or butter.
Stone Soup (vegetable beef soup) was made during the month of November. Students learned the grace of giving and helping others. Each child brought an item to add to the pot as per the book. The aroma extended into the hallway and enticed staff members to ask what we were doing. Students were very proud to tell them about the story.
Extending the curriculum with these opportunities is engaging and provides learning experiences for teamwork, measurement, kindness as well as discovering text.
