Cooking Corn Soup and Grape Salad!

Today we imagined we were pilgrim children, cooking soup over the fire!It was our corn soup feast complete with butter we "churned" and enjoyed on cornbread muffins.

 My recipe for corn soup does not come with any exact measurements, I just make it to taste. The children help add the goodies to the crock pot, take turns stirring and feel like little chefs. We imagine we are pilgrim people, discussing as we cook the fact that pilgrim children had many chores that included cooking and churning butter and talk about what they may have really eaten on a daily basis. Every child contributed something for our mini-feast. 

Here's what I use in the corn soup:

chicken broth
canned corn
long grain wild rice
fresh spinach leaves
browned sirloin
onion
salt and pepper

It's so easy and smells so good!

To churn butter you need a few large baby food jars. Pour heavy whipping cream in and add some salt. Place it in a baggie (in case it does leak) and pass it around. The kids take turns shaking the jar until it solidifies. I check on it occasionally. Each jar usually makes its way around the room once before it is ready.

We are going to spread our butter on the corn bread muffins! 

Surprisingly, the kids devour the soup and usually are begging for seconds~ spinach and all! That's a butter mustache!

While my little pilgrim children feasted, partners performed the Thanksgiving Poems they had been working on. The students were excited to use the microphone!

I just finished a new poetry unit I plan to start when December rolls around. Once again, I am going to make the most of the children's excitement for the holiday and work in some great fluency practice with our poetry binders.  Click on the first picture to see it at my shop!

Wishing all of you lots of fun with family and friends this Thanksgiving and a restful break from school! 

Here's a yummy recipe that you can quickly throw together! It's great as a side or additional dessert for those that don't care for pumpkin pie. It's my mom's famous grape salad! It's a big hit at any party!

3 pounds of assorted grapes (you could use any fruit combo)
8 oz. cream cheese softened
1 container of sour cream
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup chopped walnuts (it's yummy without nuts too)
1 cup brown sugar

blend cream cheese, sour cream and 1/2 cup of sugar
fold in grapes
spread in 9x13 dish
combine walnuts and brown sugar
sprinkle over grape mixture
serve or refrigerate
Enjoy!