Our class ran over this week, mostly because it involved more hands-on working with ingredients than the last few. It’s a hard balance to strike, but I could see how engaged all the students were on the Zoom, because who doesn’t like to work with their hands?! I want to keep trying to provide opportunities for all kids in our community to engage in learning with all their senses, but I’m not going to lie - it’s a challenge to design recipes that can be assembled in such a short amount of time, that taste good, and that are accessible for students who don’t have an adult nearby able to assist in real time. Thank you to all our third graders for their perseverance every week, it is truly inspiring!
This week students watched a short video from the Smithsonian sharing a Japanese American’s reflection on what it was like to be interned by the US Government during World War II. This is the first year we’ve used the voice of someone who was a child at that time, and I think it helped the third graders connect to what the experience must have been like. We weren’t able to go into more detail in class, but the story of how the Presidio of San Francisco specifically played a part is fascinating and worth looking into for those who’d like to continue the conversation at home.
We were excited to incorporate fresh produce for the first time in the home kits, and even though plastic knives are not ideal kitchen tools, everyone found a way to make it work. Rolling temaki in a group is a lovely way to celebrate Japanese food culture. I was pleasantly surprised by how we managed to connect, even via a screen, and applaud all the students who were brave enough to share in our breakout room discussions about times when others may have made assumptions about them based on their appearance. It was a good reminder that we are not alone, and that together we can effect change in our community.
