August

Andrewshek and the Poppy Seed Cakes


 * [[image:PoppyseedCake.jpg width="276" height="211" align="left"]]Literature-** character traits - sequencing - critical thinking skills -
 * Social Skills** - bullying -
 * Social Studies** - Long ago (using clues to identify that the story does not happen today) Finding Russia on the Globe and talking about its culture and what that means.
 * Art** spin off -- folkart using poppy seeds
 * Math** - using ingredients students add cost of items to learn how much it costs to make poppy seed cakes. Or you can use measuring and let them mix the poppy seed cake themselves......
 * Science -** States of matter --- liquids - oil and water -- opportunity for them to see that the oil floats on water-- doesn't mix -- incorporating the dry ingredients --- changes the character of the materials involved....smelling and observing the starter -- talking about yeast and recognizing that it is the leavening agent in bread and that it is a living thing that must be fed....are all part of the wonder of this lesson.

Students apply their newly learned concept of finding character traits to a piece of literature. They gain new vocabulary skills and experience making poppy seed cakes in the traditional Russian way.

[|Auntie Katushka and the Poppy Seed Cakes]
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Recipe for the dough
- a lesson in fermentation for older kids, but with 1st grade we can introduce them to the fact that yeast is a living organism which consumes sugar and produces CO2 which makes the dough rise. Begin with starter which you get from someone --- let the kids sniff the starter - ask them what it smells like. - Then do the following Using a 1 glass liquid cup measure -- add 1/2 cup of oil --- swish it around the measuring cup and put in the bowl. (ask them why they think you swish it around first. They won't know) Measure into that cup 1 full cup of starter - pour that into the bowl. Measure 1 cup of water - pour that into the bowl. Add 1 tablespoon of salt Add 1/2 cup of sugar Add 5-6 cups of flour (usually 5 is enough -- but in some circumstances - like high humidity -- 6 is better) Mix the ingredients with your hands -- turn onto a floured board and let the children practice kneading the bread. cover with a towel and place in a warm sunny location to rise. Children can observe rising flour -- then you will punch it down and make it into a loaf. (actually 3 - 4 depending on the size of your loaf pans) I usually make this like cinnamon bread -- and scatter poppy seeds into it. then I frost at the end with a simple glaze and cut and serve the next day for the children to enjoy.

Always feed your starter about 6-8 hours before you are ready to mix..... to the cup of starter you will add a cup of flour, 3/4 cup of sugar, 3 TBSP of dehydrated potato flakes, 1 cup of water! This starter needs to be feed if you bake or not --- and if you feed it -- you need to maintain the ratio of starter to food in order to keep it viable.