Homemade Herb and Spice Playdough

Type of resource Website – Document – Video

Web address https://craftulate.com/homemade-herb-and-spice-play-dough

Language: English

Description

Exploring herbs, spices and mixing by making playdough.

Scientific concept introduced

Exploring mixing

Investigating plant life (spices and herbs)

Exploring with the senses

Creative and critical thinking

Critical Thinking:

Inference

Creative Thinking:

Making

Mathematical reasoning

Measuring using non-standard units

Scientific thinking

Questioning

Observing

Exploring

Recording

Analysising

Drawing conclusions

Learning how to learn

Following guidelines

Turn taking in groups

Additional

Cooking skills of stirring, kneading and mixing

Oral language – listening and following instructions

Collaborative skills through group Work

Hand-eye coordination

Literacy – vocabulary development

Homemade Herb and Spice Playdough

Overall aims

To enable pupils to use their senses to explore herbs and spices

To develop pupils’ skills in listening and following instructions

To develop pupils’ cooking skill of stirring and kneading

To develop pupils’ fine motor skills

To develop pupils’ skills in observing

To develop pupils’ skills in recording

To develop pupils’ skills in measuring

Vocabulary – keywords should be understood

Spices, herbs, plant, flavour, season, flour, mix, stir, ingredients, dough, knead, mixture, smooth

Expected learning outcomes (operational aims)

The child will be enabled to:

– follow instructions for making dough

– explore how the ingredients mix together

– practice stirring and kneading

– make observations about how ingredients combine

– work together in small groups

– record their results

STEM skills – to which the learning unit is related to

CORE STEM SKILLS

Asking questions

Observing

Exploring

Measuring

Making

Analyzing the results involved in the process of making dough

Drawing conclusions

ADDITIONAL SKILLS

Hand-eye coordination

Fine-motor skills

Writing

Reading

Oral Language

Cooking skills of stirring and mixing

Following rules of safety

Group work

Teaching methodologies/activity outline

Introduction

Before you begin, ask pupils what they understand by the words ‘spices’ and ‘herbs’.

Explain that a spice is any dried part of a plant except for the leaves. An herb is any green or leafy part of a plant. Spices and herbs are used to flavour and season food but they’re not used as the main ingredient.

Elicit pupils’ prior knowledge and experience of spices and herbs. Use a spider diagram to note comments.

Sample Questions: Can you name any spices/herbs? Have you ever tasted any spices/herbs? What did they taste like? Did you like them?

Inform pupils that they are going to make their own play dough using some spices and herbs.

Activity

Ask pupils to work in groups, each group using a different spice to make their own dough ball.

Ingredients

(For one batch)

– ½ cup plain flour

– ½ cup water

– 2 tbsp. salt

– 1 tsp cream of tartar

– Herbs and spices

Herb and Spice Quantity Recommendation:

– Paprika 1 tbsp.

– Cocoa powder 1 – 2 tbsp.

– Ground Cinnamon 1 tbsp.

– Ground Rosemary 2 tbsp.

– Cheddar Cheese powder 1 tbsp.

– Ground Tumeric 1.5 tbsp.

– Mild Mustard Powder 1-2 tbsp.

Instructions

1. Add all the ingredients into a saucepan and mix well until the mixture is smooth but it’s okay if there are a few little lumps.

2. Place over a low to medium heat and cook. Stir constantly to make sure the dough forms into a ball.

3. Place dough ball onto wax paper and let cool.

4. Then knead until smooth.

5. Discuss what happened in making the dough. Also compare the different dough balls using the senses:

Sample Questions: What did you do with the ingredients? (Stirred them together) / What happened to the ingredients? (They mixed together). What do you think would happen if you added to much water? What does your dough ball look/feel like? Describe the smell.

Teacher note: A chemical reaction happens when you mix all ingredients