Who doesn't love pizza? I know my children love pizza. Well, my daughter loves pizza, but my son, he is a part time pizza lover. Anyway, we've made pizza at few times at home, but we have ordered out more times than I care to remember. My daughter loves placing her order when we order out, so I thought it would be nice to create these cute order forms for our homemade pizza night. Making pizza is great for teaching math concepts. The pizza can be used as a manipulative to help create the visual representation of fractions. Children can see how a pizza is cut into eight equal parts. They can also learn about angles as cut the pizza. And let's not forget the science of it. Children will observe the chemical changes from the start of waiting for the dough to double in size and the change of the dough as it cooks. The recipe below makes 2 medium size pizzas Step 1, In a small bowl, mix together the 1 1/2 cup WARM water and 1 teaspoon yeast. Let it sit for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, you will notice bubbles. Step 2, In a separate medium size bowl, add 4 cups flour and 1 teaspoon salt. Step 3, Pour the yeast mixture into the flour and mix it all together until a dough forms. Sprinkle very little flour on a clean surface and gently knead the dough into smooth ball. Then place the dough back into the bowl. Step 4, Pour 1/2 teaspoon of olive oil or vegetable oil onto the dough and rub it all over. Cover it with a towel and let it sit for 1 hour until the dough rises. I personally like to put my bowl in the oven with the light on to generate a little heat. Step 5, The fun part! Your dough should have doubled in size. Punch a hole into the dough to release the air. Actually, don't do that. Let the kids do it; they will think it's the coolest thing ever. Then, cut your dough in half. You can make two pizzas or place one dough in the freezer. If you choose to freeze, place the dough into a large size Ziploc bag with enough room for the dough to expand. It can be frozen for up to 6 months. Step 6, Preheat oven to 450. Sprinkle very little flour onto a clean surface and roll your dough out into a circle. Then, transfer the dough to a pizza pan. Add pizza sauce, cheese, and toppings. With the extra dough, I cut it in half for the kids. I provided a smaller dough for the children because it would be easier for them to manage.
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Do you ever feel like you are constantly washing clothes? Well, that's because you probably are. Doing laundry is a daunting task for most parents, but it can be a chore that teaches a number of mathematical concepts for young children. When children participate with laundry, they learn how to sort: Sort Sort clothes into color piles. It helps them to understand that things are alike and different; things can be organized by certain groups. They can sort clothes by color, mom’s clothes, dad’s clothes, or however you choose to sort. Matching Children can match socks to make a pair. This teaches children that pairs come in sets of two. Comparing After children have sorted the clothes into piles, a great question would be, “Which pile has more?” The child will quickly assess the piles and make a decision based on the amount in each. Children will spend time learning about more or less in preschool, so why not get them started at home? You can also ask which pile is bigger or smaller. Measurement As your child pours laundry detergent into the cap, the development of eye-hand coordination and measurement are happening right before your very eyes. Counting and One-to-One Correspondence There is a lot of counting in doing laundry. Children can count the clothes aloud as they put each piece into the washing machine. It helps to reinforce the count sequence. Counting aloud provides an opportunity for parents to hear if any errors are made and can quickly be corrected. With continued practice, children eventually begin to count to higher numbers with guidance. As children are counting, be sure to make note if their verbal count matches with the number of clothing they have set aside. For example, if the child has set aside 3 pieces of clothes, the last number said should be 3. Fine Motor/Fractions Folding clothes is the HARDEST part of doing laundry. You can set aside a few pieces for your child to fold. Let’s say, your child has to fold a washcloth, you can say, “Can you fold this in half?”. That is teaching fractions. Now, I know you’re probably wondering how does a preschooler understand the concept of fractions. Well, you wouldn’t necessarily do a lesson on fractions, but using fraction language is a start. Fold a washcloth to show your child what you mean by folding in half. With continued exposure, children begin to make sense of the concept, which prepares them for future years ahead when fractions will be part of their curriculum. Literacy/Sequence You can encourage children to draw and write about the steps of how to do laundry. That teaches sequence--first, next, then, and last. Children learn to recognize letters on the laundry bottles. Children can copy the letters they see on the laundry bottles or to go a step further depending on the child’s age, they can spell phonetically. Check out these books to help with the above concepts: Counting
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Akwaaba!Hi, I am Odessa. I'm a mom of two wonderful children and a teacher. I have a Bachelor of Arts in Early Childhood Education and a Master of Science in Childhood Education with over 10 years of PreK and Kindergarten experience. I am a lover of all things literacy for children and their curiosity of the world. Get comfy and click around my site. I hope you find something you'll like, and something your kids will love! P.S. Akwaaba means 'welcome' :) Subscribe to get our latest content by email and a FREE reading comprehension guide that supports you BEFORE, DURING, and AFTER you read a book. It also includes an assessment checklist.
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