Cooking Rice
Here's What To Do
Gather the supplies you need to make rice (using whatever method your family usually uses).
Before cooking, observe the rice and the water. Ask your child to help measure and pour the ingredients.
When you start cooking the rice, set a timer for 3 minutes. Use a spoon to scoop a small bit of rice out, put it on a plate, and observe once it's cool enough to touch. Repeat every 3-5 minutes, and notice how the rice and water changes over time. (Optional) leave a small bit of rice on the plate each time so you can easily compare how it changes.
When the rice is done, ask your child to check it one last time. Ask why they think it changed. Finally, eat!
Put PEER Into Action
Pause:
- Take a deep breath together in the kitchen. Breathe in and reach to the ceiling, then blow out all the air as you drop your arms to the side. We’re ready to cook!
Engage:
- "What does the rice look like now? What does it look like, feel like, and smell like?"
- "How is the rice different from last time we checked?"
Encourage:
- If your child is having difficulty seeing any differences, prompt them by pointing out differences in texture (“see how it’s softer?”) or appearance ("see how it's bigger?").
- Cheer your child on for being a great scientist and making careful observations!
Reflect:
- "What made the rice change?"
Not quite ready?
If your child doesn't have enough vocabulary to observe the rice and water, you can make your own observations so they can begin to learn descriptive words.
Ready for more?
Ask your child if they think they could return the rice and water to their original forms. Why or why not? Can they think of an example of a material that could be changed back to how it started? (example: water)
As your child masters this skill...
They will understand some ways cooking changes ingredients, and be able to observe how changes can happen to materials over time.