One Potato, Two Potato, Three Potato, Four!

At Rachel Keeling children help to care for the garden and our plants and wildlife (flora and fauna).

Following on from last week's bulb digging, children have been supported to harvest the potatoes which they have been growing during the winter. 
Children worked collaboratively in the shade to select tools (although it was mainly a job for hands!) They harvested the potatoes: children showed delight and interest as they found potatoes! They used language to describe the potatoes as  "tiny ones" "huge ones" and "ginormous ones".

Children were supported to sort them and separate the potatoes from the leaves. They then transported the potato leaves to the compost area. 
Next came the job of counting the potatoes! Children problem solved and decided to line them up on tables in the shade.
Some children were able to count as they pointed, one child was able to count to 39. Some of our older and more experienced children counted beyond 50!
In total there were 80 potatoes harvested.

Children were then encouraged to mark make their representations of what 80 potatoes looks like. Some drew circles, some tallied and others wrote numerals.
Children sustained concentration and worked harmoniously together for a long time. 

Next step is they will be taken into Bluebell to wash and prepare. Maybe they will be boiled and shared in the garden with some olive oil and chives from the garden?
We want our children to understand that they can grow food and share it. 

Do you have a space where you can grow any vegetables or herbs at home?
Speak to Nazma, she is very green-fingered and can give you advice. Even a window sill is a great place to grow something tasty in a pot.