Did you know that the rice plant belongs to the same plant family as the grass that grows on our school field?
Did you know that in the Philippines, a rice cake called Biko is often served at special occasions like birthdays?
Rooms 5 students have been learning about rice along with other important foods in the Philippines.
Exploring the food of the Philippines has highlighted the integrated concepts of how:
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A country's location influences its culture.
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Learning about other cultures helps us understand the world.
Learning activities have included:
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Learning about the climate and environment of the Philippines and investigating what food they produce and eat
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Researching rice
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Sequencing the process of growing rice
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Comparing and contrasting what foods we produce and eat in New Zealand with what food is produced and eaten in the Philippines
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Unpacking Filipino folk tales about important foods—The Legend of the Pineapple
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Making connections between food and the cultures of students within the class
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Reflecting on why certain foods are important to certain countries
Learning about the foods of the Philippines also means tasting the foods of the Philippines. Students have been brave and tried Biko, a Filipino sticky rice cake. Interestingly, the response to the Biko was overwhelmingly positive.
Tasting pineapples (that we discovered were actually grown in the Philippines) and mangos was also an enjoyable experience. Overall, there was a general consensus that the foods of the Philippines are yummy!
The rice plant looks a lot like our grass. I found a piece of grass going to seed up in the maze. It looked very like rice seeds.
Mrs. Sprague found cutting up the mangos hard. She said it was her first time cutting a mango. My mum and grandma are very good at cutting mangos. We eat mangos all the time because it is the national fruit of India.
Reading group 3 read school journals about rice. We saw the rice seeds being dried on the road.
We made a Google Slide all about rice. I found out that some people eat it three times a day.
We listed all the different ways we eat rice in New Zealand. It made me hungry. I like sushi.
I found that the Philippines is the seventh biggest rice-producing country in the world. The biggest rice-producing countries are in Asia. The climate is good for growing rice, and the countries have large populations to feed.
The Legend of the Pineapple told us why the pineapple has so many eyes. The message of the folktale was to be good to your mother and not be naughty or lazy, or you might turn into a pineapple.
Eliya taught us how to say “Biko” properly. She and Winter had eaten it before because they come from the Philippines.
Mrs. Sprague's first attempt at making Biko was a disaster; she showed us a picture. But she learnt from her mistakes, tried again, and it was better.
I could taste the coconut in the Biko. I really liked it.
Sticky rice is yummy, but the pineapple and the mango were my favourites.
Mrs. Fitzsimmons bought us two pineapples that were actually grown in the Philippines. I think they got to New Zealand on a plane because a ship might take too long and the fruit would not last.
We eat something similar to Biko in Sri Lanka. My dad makes it.
Every child deserves a classroom where they feel valued and well liked by their teacher. This is a goal of mine as it makes a safe place for students to learn and grow. While I enjoy all areas of teaching and learning, mathematics is a particular passion. Supporting students to make connections between mathematical ideas and identify patterns and rules in our number system gets me very excited.
In my classroom students are encouraged to be brave, cooperative, and open to learning. It is a safe place to take a risk. Reflection is important, along with the celebration of student success.
When not at school, time spent mountain biking and exercising my energetic dog keeps me fit for a busy classroom. Helping students learn and develop is at the centre of everything I do and I am happy to continue this journey at Wairakei Primary School.
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