The Fruits of Our Labour

One potato, two potato, three potato, four!
So much excitement in the Rachel Keeling garden this week! Children were supported in harvesting the potatoes which have been growing in sacks and pots. In order to increase accessibility, the pots and sacks were emptied into a large tray and the children set about using trowels and mini forks to dig up and excavate the potatoes. 
A great deal of collaboration and joy was demonstrated and some children even used the huge sieves to separate the soil from the vegetables. 
This experience offered children the opportunity to share so much talk and they sustained concentration for the whole morning. At Rachel Keeling we try to consider ways we can support children in developing an awareness of where our food comes from. 
Once the crop of potatoes were dug up, children wanted to know how many there were. They started by estimating but wildly different numbers meant they decided to count them.
In order to support the children in counting large amounts, they grouped the potatoes into smaller groups first. Eventually counting up to a grand total of 40 potatoes! 
Children were excited and many wanted to try to write numerals.
After all that hard work they set about transporting them inside as some of them were for a vegetable soup which children were preparing and making.
That will appear in a separate blog post!