Creating a Restaurant

What a fantastic day for an inquiry to sweep across the classroom! Some of our parent observers were witnesses to the beginning of an incredibly interesting learning experience.

During our morning inside play a girl asked me to come to the drama centre to see what she had cooked. I went over and saw her soup, but I said she needed a bigger pot (she was supposed to be in the stew, and just didn't fit). One of the boys volunteered to help build a pot, and halfway through said, "Um... can we make a restaurant instead?"

WELL SURE WE CAN!

Quickly other friends joined in and suddenly we had benches being built, patrons seated at a table, tables being set, orders being taken, line cooks working at the stoves and it was into full force. Students were writing down orders, plates were being counted and all around you could hear students shouting, "How do you spell noodles?" with resounding choruses of, "N! It says nnnn!"

Unfortunately inside play was coming to an end, but we decided to save the restaurant that was built and continue on in the afternoon.

In the afternoon I gathered some "planners" and we brainstormed what we knew about how restaurants work.

I almost fell over when someone said "busboy". Such rich vocabulary!

Afterwards, we asked friends if they wanted to create menus. Soon after we had some friends playing in the restaurant, busily taking orders and others creating menus for next time. Here is some of the fantastic work we saw!

Chocolate ice cream!

Ice Tea is only $5!

Popsicles and ice cream for dessert!

Pineapples for those in the mood for citrus.

Tomorrow we will start to add in more resources to support their learning. I can't wait to see what develops next!