Pastries: Tasting the Sweet Side of Life

Most countries make special pastries, usually as sweet desserts. They also adapt other countries’ recipes. Put some icing on your cake of life with these pastry activities below. Yum!

CONNECT:

• Feast your eyes on these pastries from around the world: http://mentalfloss.com/article/89565/12-delectable-pastries-around-world
• Imagine a special day for pastries? Find out about fun and weird facts about pastries as you celebrate their special day: https://www.entitymag.com/national-pastry-day-5-facts/
• In Sweden they celebrate national Cinnamon Bun Day (Kanelbullar Dag). Discover its history at http://kanelbullensdag.se/en/
• Watch the chemistry of bread at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qylxpwNhFYI

CREATE:

• Make your own kanelbullar using this recipe: http://www.thekavanaughreport.com/2018/01/easy-cinnamon-roll-recipe-for-kids.html
• Pastry dough is very adaptable. Try at least one of these kid-friendly puff pastry dough recipes: https://www.epicurious.com/expert-advice/all-the-things-your-kids-can-make-with-puff-pastry-dough-article
• Watch this video of kids trying 100 years of pastries:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bvPMFz_7jWM   DO try this at home!
• Sweet! Science experiments with pastry: https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/succulent-science-the-role-of-fats-in-making-a-perfect-pastry/

CARE:

• Kitchens are fun places to explore, but they ca also be dangerous. Here are tips for keeping safe in the kitchen: https://kidshealth.org/en/kids/safe-in-kitchen.html
• At some time you are likely to get burned. Here is how to treat burns: http://www.cyh.com/HealthTopics/HealthTopicDetailsKids.aspx?p=335&np=285&id=1796
• Lots of schools hold back sales; here’s one that targets puppies: https://www.tearfund.org/2017/04/The_Pastry_Project
• How do orphans and pastries mix? Find out at https://www.tearfund.org/2017/04/The_Pastry_Project

CAREERS:

Cook up a great career based on pastry. Here are some ideas:

https://www.theartcareerproject.com/careers/pastry-chef/

http://learningpath.org/articles/Baking_Pastry_Careers_Salary_Info_Job_Description.html

http://www.starting-a-bakery.com/

Don't take it sitting down!

Most of us are used to sitting in chairs, but we rarely think about chairs. It’s time to stand up – for chairs!

CONNECT:

• What is the origin of the word “chair”? Find out its history – and the social history of chairs at http://www.randomhistory.com/2008/11/11_chair.html
• Sit like an ancient Egyptian. Read examples of their chairs and other furniture at http://www.historyforkids.net/egyptian-furniture.html
• Do you have designs on chairs? See how chair design has changed over the ages: http://denverartmuseum.org/article/staff-blogs/brief-history-chair-design
• Travel the world of chairs at https://rincarnation.wordpress.com/category/around-the-world-in-80-chairs/
• Watch how wooden chairs are manufactured: at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h5hmgpuS3AE

CREATE:

• If you haven’t played musical chairs, here are simple directions: http://www.kidspot.com.au/kids-activities-and-games/Music-for-kids+53/Musical-chairs+240.htm. Brainstorm some other games you can play that uses chairs in creative ways (e.g., relays with chairs, speed race to set up lawn chairs, obstacle course, etc.).
• College students created parts that children can assemble into chairs for themselves: http://www.gizmag.com/kids-imagination-furniture/36268/  See if you can recreate these pieces yourself for children to assemble.
• Watch this video of a teen who designed and produced a comfy cardboard chair: http://www.pbslearningmedia.org/resource/phy03.sci.engin.design.zchair/kid-designer-a-comfortable-cardboard-chair/
• Think with the box: see how children can use boxes to make doll house chairs and other furniture at http://www.artistshelpingchildren.org/kidscraftsactivitiesblog/2010/03/how-to-make-cardboard-doll-house-furniture-with-old-boxes/

CARE:

• Be kind to your body. Learn how to choose an ergonomic chair at http://www.lushome.com/how-select-best-student-desk-chair-ergonomic-kids-room-design/85043
• Read how research into chairs turned into a kindergarten service project and Chair Museum: http://www.dukeschool.org/Page/Learn/Project-Work/Kindergarten-Chair-Project
• Some children use modified chairs for unique experiences. Read about these students who built chairs that calm children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: http://www.kansascity.com/news/local/article5011941.html
• Kids can paint chairs as a service; see an example at http://www.republican-eagle.com/content/kids-needed-paint-chairs
• You can make a difference to a mobile-bound person by donating to buy a wheelchair: http://www.joniandfriends.org/wheels-for-the-world/

CAREERS:

Time to sit up and see how chairs can lead to jobs: interior design, carpentry, manufacturing, health care.

http://www.myjobsearch.com/careers/furniture-maker.html

http://www.theartcareerproject.com/furniture-design-where-function-meets-fashion/240/

https://www.asid.org/content/becoming-interior-designer#.VhA5KHpViko

What a gas!

Gas is everywhere: in vehicles, in homes, in signs, even in your body. And air itself is a gas. Where does it come from, and how does it work? It’s a gas doing these activities to learn about gas.

CONNECT:

• Did you know that sea plants and animals are the source of gas? Read how natural gas is formed, and how we access it at https://www.electricchoice.com/kids/gas/
• What’s a fart? Gas! Read how it happens at https://kidshealth.org/en/kids/fart.html
• The planet Saturn is largely gas. If you could put all of the planets into a pool of water, Saturn is the only one that would float. Read about this gas giant at https://www.esa.int/esaKIDSen/SEMJL6WJD1E_OurUniverse_0.html

CREATE:

• Create a trivia game based on these gas facts: http://www.sciencekids.co.nz/sciencefacts/earth/gas.html and http://www.scienceforkidsclub.com/gas-facts.html
• How do you see gas? Watch this experiment at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EDTF6l2WhYo. Then you might try this at home.
• Here are 10 kid-friendly experience on the science of gas: https://www.kiwico.com/blog/2017/02/02/kid-friendly-science-experiments-gas/

CARE:

• Follow these rules for natural gas safety: http://www.alliantenergykids.com/PlayingItSafe/NaturalGasSafety/000557
• Meet the greenhouse gases at https://climatekids.nasa.gov/greenhouse-cards/
• What is the connection between humans and carbon dioxide? Watch the impact at https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/global-warming/global-warming-causes/

CAREERS:

Working with gas isn’t just hot air. Check out the opportunities below.

https://www.oilandgasiq.com/strategy-management-and-information/articles/oil-gas-industry-an-introduction

https://www.acs.org/content/acs/en/careers/college-to-career/chemistry-careers/oil-petroleum.html

https://money.usnews.com/careers/best-jobs/auto-mechanic

The Bread of Life

Bread has been a staple of life for thousands of years.   Rise to the occasion by feasting on these bread-based activities.

CONNECT:

• Read the amazing facts about bread at https://kids.kiddle.co/Bread
• Watch how tons of bread are made at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3UjUWfwWAC4. 
• See different types of bread from around the world at https://www.oola.com/life-in-flavor/2390731/the-different-types-of-bread-from-around-the-world/. Which ones have you tried? Try a new one!
• Watch how science impacted the making of bread over the centuries at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qylxpwNhFYI

CREATE:

• Even toddlers can make bread – in a bag! See how to do it at http://busytoddler.com/2018/03/make-bread-bag-kids/
• When is bread not bread? When it’s a turtle – or other animals. You can shape turtles and other animals for this bread recipe: https://lajollamom.com/kids-turtle-animal-bread-recipe/
• Bread can also be made into clay, which can be formed into jewelry and lots of other creations. Follow the directions at http://www.auntannie.com/CraftRecipes/BreadClay/
• Learn about  model with these bread mold science experiments:  https://www.brighthubeducation.com/science-fair-projects/107513-bread-mold-science-experiments/

CARE:

• Read these bread myths: https://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/features/the_best_bread_tips_for_buying_breads#1
• Not all breads are created equally, as you know by now, and some are healthier than others. Find out what kind of bread is best for you at https://health.clevelandclinic.org/bread-best-whole-grain-multigrain-whole-wheat/
• You may have heard about whole grain bread, but what is whole grain? Get the answer – and learn why it is a healthy necessity -- at https://wholegrainscouncil.org/whole-grains-101
• Many people go to bed hungry, perhaps not even eating any bread. The USDA National Hunger Hotline and Clearinghouse gives food assistance to poor individuals. Find out how you can help at https://www.nhc.fns.usda.gov/nhc/nhc-main-page

CAREERS:

Want to make “bread” from bread? You can follow the bread line: from farmer to granary to manufacturing to baking to selling – to nutritionist and chemist! BE a rising bread winner!

https://collegegrad.com/careers/bakershttps://delectableconfections.wordpress.com/2016/07/14/3-different-kinds-of-professions-related-to-baking/

https://www.trade-schools.net/articles/nutrition-jobs.asp

https://www.myplan.com/majors/baking-and-pastry-arts-baker-pastry-chef/related-careers-12.0501.html