Little Red

Last week we began studying the comprehension skill of compare and contrast, or making text-to-text connections to explain how two stories are alike and different. As you can imagine, this is a very real skill that we unconsciously use every day. In fact, tomorrow in math we will be comparing and contrasting the attributes of solid shapes (how are a rectangular prism and a triangular prism alike and different, or how are a cylinder and a sphere alike and different)! LOVE when skills overlap into other subjects and "real life!" Anyway...last week the story in our reading book was Lon Po Po, which is the Chinese version of Little Red Riding Hood. If you haven't read it, I highly recommend it!!! After reading Lon Po Po we read a few versions of Little Red Riding Hood to find similarities and differences. This version is my absolute favorite!!! Little Red lives on the prairie (how appropriate since we live right smack in the middle of one), and always wears her red hooded sweatshirt while out riding her bike. One very hot day she asks to bring her grandma muffins (Grandma gets very crabby when it's hot), and the rest I won't spoil!!! Let's just saw there are no woodcutters and the wolf doesn't die in this version...he gets put to work instead! At the very end of the story is the recipe for Grandma's super secret muffins, which all the kids begged me to copy for them. Since this weekend is supposed to be ridiculously cold, it might be a great Saturday activity while you're all stuck inside! I'll type the recipe below, just promise that if you make a batch that you'll send in one for me! :)

Grandma's Wheat Berry Muffins

Makes about 12.

2 eggs

1/2 cup melted butter or margarine

1 cup sugar

1/2 tsp almond extract

1 cup wheat flour

1 cup white flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

2 cups blueberries

1/2 cup sunflower seeds (Grandma's secret ingredient)

First turn on the oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, mix together the eggs, butter, sugar, and almond extract. In another bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, and salt. Add that to the egg mixture and stir just until combined. Gently stir in the blueberries and the secret ingredient after making sure there are no wolves lurking about. Fill oiled muffin tins 3/4 full, and bake for about 20 to 25 minutes. These muffins taste best when shared.

1 more thing -------- cooking with your kids is one of the best ways for them to practice and master the skills of measuring and fractions, not to mention it's a TON of fun!!! If you haven't already discovered my Pinterest board, I have a zillion recipes pinned. Maybe you can also find something new and yummy to cook with your kids for dinner this weekend!!!