Table of Contents

EC 1

Our new unit allows our little ones to explore different food textures and tastes.  Our “I Like to Eat, Eat, Eat” unit is an inquiry into the food we eat as we learn more about How We Organize Ourselves.  Our central idea for this unit allows students to explore the idea that the food we eat gives us nutrients, energy, and helps us maintain a healthy lifestyle.

Our littlest learners are exploring about many kinds of food.  They start with fruits, vegetables, and other foods that give them energy.  They also learn about the food that they like the best.

Throughout our inquiry, students will also learn about the supermarket and the different kinds of food that are sold there.  In our classroom, we made our own supermarket with real fruits and vegetables as well as some play food from our classroom kitchen center. EC 1 students showed their enthusiasm each time they visit our supermarket and “shop” using a basket and trolly/ shopping cart. 

They go through the cash register too to complete their transactions.  This activity allows our our little learners to discover that there are many kinds of food, how the types of food are similar and different from one another, and how they can classify or organize different foods.  Some common ways to categorize food include sensory information about, size, color, texture, smell.

In addition to learning about the types and tastes of food, we learn about how to prepare the fruits and vegetables to ensure they are safe to eat.  We invite them to wash their fruit and vegetables that they bought from our classroom supermarket.

These activities have lead some of the students to show their curiosity by asking to open some new fruits.  Students have become more curious about how they taste. During food tastings, students showed they were balanced when they sat at the table rather than run around the classroom; they showed they were balanced when they choose healthy food most of the time, and a special sweet treat once in a while. When we have snack sharing time, the students were balanced by bringing healthy snacks to share rather than just bringing less healthy food.

Learning Support

What You Need To Know About Processing Speed

Does it seem like it takes your child a long time to complete any type of task?  Does it seem like she does not follow directions? Does he seem to stare off into space frequently? What is going on?

Processing Speed is the pace at which an individual receives information, makes sense of the information, and then responds accordingly to the information. Slow processing may look like: difficulties following multi-step directions, taking a long time to complete simple or routine tasks, weak organizational skills, and/or difficulties with time management. Slow processing is a common experience among many individuals. If you have a concern that your child has a slow processing speed, there are different strategies that can help.

  • Take notes on what type of tasks take a long time
  • Establish regular routines (bedtime, homework time, free time, etc.)
  • Adjust their daily schedules to accommodate their pace
  • Assist your child with organization – do not organize for them
  • Respect your child’s processing speed – increased speeds comes with practice and consistency
  • Encourage your child to advocate for themselves by asking for help and communicating with their teachers
  • Understand that your child can get frustrated or exhibit anxiety and could behave negatively
  • Communicate regularly with your student’s teacher and/or school
  • Discuss strategies that can be used at school and at home to help support your student

For further information, please contact Ms. Jodi or Ms. Dita and visit Understood.org to learn more about Processing Speeds.

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