Visiting the Rainforest

This week we had our Sample the Products of the Rainforest Expo :)

An all-spice branch. The trees grow like weeds here.

The entire year group crowded into my class to wander around investigating and sampling all the different rainforest products that we, the teachers, could come up with.

We had bamboo and allspice branches, orchids and chocolate, chewing gum (that was a great hit because the kids are never allowed to have gum in school :) ) lots of spices, coffee beans, pau d'arco tea for them to taste and gold and diamonds! (There was a moment of panic when my engagement ring disappeared but luckily it re-surfaced under someone's worksheet!)

After looking at, smelling and tasting (where appropriate) the samples and reading the information cards by each product, the girls chose 4 different items to write about and illustrate. It was a very successful morning - much more fun than looking at pictures - and considering we had 48 children in one small room the whole project ran very smoothly and quietly.

Chewing gum and tangerine slices

Tasting the pau d'arco tea. It's quite bitter
but some children actually liked it.

Writing about nutmeg and orchids

Probably the most popular sampling station of all!

We borrowed this beautiful orchid from our principal.

Not only fun and educational but my classroom smelled divine for the rest of the day. There's something about cinnamon, coffee, allspice and cardamom - I love it!