Monday, May 9, 2011

Monday, Sweet Monday: Baking "Fun"

A couple of weeks ago, Difference Makers had to make good on a promise to Penny Drive winning homerooms; we had promised those who raised the most money (or the most pennies) to a "Cookie Buffet!" So...insane person that I am held our weekly meeting in the Home Ec room and gave the kids pretty much all free-reign to bake four different batches of cookies. "Just follow the directions on the back of the bag," I instructed (about 42 times).

I helped where I could, but obviously, one person cannot supervise baking four different batches of cookies at the same time, so there were some "gaps" in proper baking techniques. (The Home Ec teacher would probably have had a heart attack.)  I took some photos and some video, and here's a little montage that will give you the gist.


When the cookies were done, I showed the kids how to make cake pops. Of course, those were a big hit!  We had quite the assembly line going!



Fortunately (or unfortunately) the kids all had to be picked up at the normal time, so I ended up doing an extra 30 minutes of cleaning up on my own. I had instructed the boys who made the "cookies" in the video to just press them into a cake pan to make bars, and while they looked okay, I was a little suspicious as to how they might taste, so after my cleaning was finished, I took a bite....

...and quickly found a garbage can in which to spit it out. I wouldn't have fed those bars to Cooper; I had to throw out the entire pan (waaay to generous with the salt, Boys). So glad I tasted those before the big "Thank You" Cookie Buffet event, the next day.


At this week's meeting, I figured we could talk about some low-key ways to coast out the rest of the year, but the kids had very different ideas; they positively wore me out, all taking at once about how they want to "end the year with a bang!" and do some more "really cool stuff," like cleaning the neighborhood park ("No! Let's do all of the parks in town!"), and visiting the local nursing home one last time, because it's "So much fun!"  I laughed out loud over their enthusiasm and even videotaped part of the meeting (to show them some time), just because the level of energy was so funny.

These kids blow my mind.



So, no; we're not going to "coast" the rest of the year, though we are going to spend one night just having fun together (think picnic, firepit, fishing, pond, etc.)  They've certainly earned it!

For more information about Difference Makers, type "Difference Makers" in the search box in my sidebar.

Fyi, the parents of these Difference Makers gave me permission to post the video here :)

7 comments:

  1. you need to start somewhere. Maybe they couldn't remember if they had put the salt in yet. So will you be picking up a new group of "difference makers" in the fall? Looks like they enthusiastically take on the task of mess making.

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  2. You are a very brave lady. The kids definitely had fun making the cookies though. I'm surprised the kids didn't taste the cookies--maybe they knew they goofed? Looks like you forgot to post the meeting video?

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  3. Cookies look great and good thing you did a taste test yikes! I love their enthusiasm....what great kids! Have a wonderful Monday! Love the new header!

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  4. You my girl are on brave woman an one terrific teacher. Although ya may have had a couple of dog~biscuit moments these students will remember this life lesson the rest of their lives and that's what it's all about baby! :o)

    Have a great week sweetie!!!

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  5. How fun! Did you tell the boys you threw out their cookies? Or did you re-bake them and pass them off as the originals?

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  6. Well, it does sound way more fun than coasting....although exhausting! Those treats look SO good.

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