We Made Butter

Our school had visitors (Kansas State Representatives and Senators) today. And that means, we strive to have lessons that are more project-based in nature.

So, things are usually a little different, but always good. (The report after they left was that we impressed them, and they did not even stop in my room! Way to go other teachers!)

The other first grade teacher and I tried to figure out what we could do. Since I'm reading Little House, I thought it would be cool to make butter. She immediately took my idea and made it HUGE. We scaled it back and then proceeded. 

Oh, were the kids excited to get started today. Before we began I had a quick chat with my aide/friend. She was glad to be in my room, because she had been pinning making butter. I am sure lucky to have her. You'll see why.

1. Pour the cream (heavy whipping cream) into pint jars. 

2. Make a prediction how long we would have to shake. (10 minutes and 203 minutes were two predictions.)

3. In table groups, shake, shake, pass the jar, shake, shake, and repeat for 20 minutes.

My aide and I also shook a jar. Crazy to hear it slosh, and then go quiet. This is when she said, now it's whipped cream, keep shaking.

The plan was that the other first grade teacher would make butter and bread with her kids and share half the loaf with us, to eat as a snack. Her kids must not eat much, because my kids could definitely eat through a whole loaf for a snack!

My aide had the idea that we could add chives to the butter. So she walked to our green house, cut some chives, washed them and snipped them. Love her so much! Here is a cool note--when my aide was in first grade she had a teacher. DUH, I know. Her teacher then, is an aide in our school now. And when she was in first grade her teacher led her class in making butter. What great memories. Perhaps this group of 22 will have some good memories in 15 years.

Now it is time to separate the butter from the buttermilk (and talk about solid/liquid--a state science standard).

See the butter?

Next, add some chives and stir. No pictures of that. Or of the bread that we ate it on. We had so much butter that we also had it on saltine crackers and the dinner rolls that came with lunch. It was tasty and the kids got to eat as much as they wanted. 

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We celebrated another birthday today. He is a little cowboy and goes to rodeos and rides horses and probably hunts. His treat was a disguise. 

Can you see the frog on the cupcake? Adorable.