Keep it Popping!

One of the biggest hits this winter was the day I brought in the air popper and let the popcorn pop all over the place.  We put a blanket on the ground and all gathered around.  Many of the children had never seen an air popper before.  They were used to having popcorn from the microwave.  I explained to them the effect of the heat from the popper and they used all their senses as they observed what happened next!

They were captivated as they watched the kernnels pop here and there and change as they reacted to the heat!  As soon as it was done, guess what they said..."Can we do it again?"  And of course, the answer was "YES!" 

I couldn't believe how much they enjoyed eating the popcorn when it finished popping.  It didn't have any salt or butter on it!  They were so intrigued about what they had experienced, they couldn't wait to eat it!

This activity was so cool because it was a great example of how essential it is to plan lessons that are engaging and use all the senses!  I didn't have to worry about behavior problems one bit during this lesson!  It was also an awesome springboard activity that hooked children into learning more about popcorn and the science behind what makes this favorite snack go from seed to snack!

So, next time you plan a lesson think of what you can do to "keep minds popping" as you hook children into learning!  Engage the senses and engage the mind!