At the Mud Kitchen, children used natural materials such as soil, water, leaves, flowers and rocks to "cook" soup. They engaged in pretend play, imagining they were camping in the wild, making food, and telling stories.

We discussed the importance of not wasting water—using only what they need and turning off taps when not in use. Additionally, children were reminded to wash the utensils after use to keep the mud kitchen clean and ready for others.

Experimenting: They tested different natural materials and combinations to see what worked best for mixing, pounding and stirring.

Here are some conversations they had while cooking in the mud kitchen: “I’m making soup with leaves and water for my friends!”

“This mud looks like chocolate!”

“You can use the spoon next. I’ll use a stick now!”

Some children crowded around the mud kitchen station for longer, leaving less time for others to explore. I will create smaller group rotations with set time limits to ensure equal time at each station.

Initially, we were going to make slime at the Mud Kitchen. However, it was raining and we could not conduct it outdoors. Hence, the children made the slime in the MPR. They mixed cornstarch and water and observed what happened. They shared their observations with each other.

We talked about how these ingredients could be found in the kitchen, where adults use these for cooking or cleaning purposes.

Scientific process skills: Observing, communicating, predicting

- Hawraa: "It's sticky! I think it looks like glue."

- Ollie: "It smells a little weird."

- Bellina: "It looks like goop. If I add more water, it's going to look even more goopy."

Challenge: The ratio of cornstarch and water is tricky for me to remember. However, I take it as experimenting with the children. So we added more water, then more cornstarch. And I also asked questions like "What do you think will happen if we put less cornstarch now? Shall we find out together?"

The children were introduced to what is a Beebot in Week 1&2 and in Week 3, the children were introduced to directional cards, they had to set the order through the directional cards before trying it on the beebot.

When introducing the beebot, I had the opportunity to share with children that the beebot ran on charged battery, to charge the beebot requires electricity that comes from burning gas. The more energy we use, the more gas we would have to burn and through burning, it causes heat to be emitted into our environment that causes our temperature to rise.

Evan: We need to try it on the beebot then we know if it can work! If we anyhow put, the bee will move anyhow.

The challenge I faced during the activity was that the children were newly introduced to the beebot and were not able to understand how the beebot moved after introduction. The children required many practice and hands-on experiences to master the technique.

For this lesson, we are discussing on the topic of recycling. Children observe the difference s between the recycling big and the normal rubbish bins. Children also identified what are some rubbish that they can throw in the recycling big and what are some that should not be thrown inside.

Prior to the recycling lesson, children learnt about how rubbish are treated in Singapore and the limited space that Singapore can dispose our rubbish at. When the recycling topic where introduce, children get know that recycling is one way that Singapore can reduce the disposal of rubbish to the Semakau Landfield.

Observing and communicating.

Joanna: We should recycling so that land field will not get full so fast.

Emma: recycling can make new things from the old things.

When i mention the types of rubbish that they can recycle, some of the children children not understand and relate. I can prepare these concrete rubbish so children can on serve and feel how these different material s feel like.

Beebot - On week 1 of our STEAM lesson, the children were introduced to Beebot and its functionality (directions).

The children were given opportunities to work in groups and discuss among their peers on the shortest route it requires for their beebot to reach the destination (i.e. the calm corner) given by the teacher.

The children developed key scientific process skills such as observing how the Beebot responded to directional commands, and predicting which route would help it reach the destination efficiently. They engaged in planning and investigating by working collaboratively to map out and test different paths.

During the activity, some children occasionally forgot to reset the Beebot before starting a new route. As a result, the Beebot sometimes followed a path different from what the group had planned. Next time, I may consider using visual aids as reminders.

The children were learning about simple machines and they went around the school to look for simple machines. Across the street from our school, the children spotted the crane and said that it’s a simple machine because it helped to lift the load up and down, while constructing buildings.

We discussed about how these machines ease the workload of the workers and how without these machines, the workers would be in a dangerous working environment. As such, it allowed the children to have a sense of appreciation for these workers.

Communicating and inferencing. The children had to infer and communicate why they think the items spotted are simple machines.

Lucas: look there! It’s a simple machine!

Olivia: ya the crane is using pulley to lift the heavy things up and down.

A challenge I faced was to have enough examples for Wedge. The rest of the simple machines were easier to find. I wanted to show the use of spade/shovel but I couldn’t find it in the garden/outdoor walk. Which I could have asked from uncle Lim prior to the outdoor walk.

The children explored on the topic of simple machines, specifically Wedge, and the use of hammer and tee while creating their name board.

We discussed on the safety aspect of using the tools and how we should protect ourselves/others when we/others are using it.

Inferencing: the children had to observe and infer from the experience, such as the strength needed to knock on the tee to create a dent and if the tee is too blunt, how did it affect the effect of the dent.

Jun song: I need to hold the tee properly if not the hammer might hit my finger. Teacher Yuling, move your phone away in case I hit your phone.

I will choose a more appropriate cardboard as some of the cardboard is too thin and may not be able to create a hole. Alternatively, we may get new tees as most of them are already blunt.

The children discussed the topic on recycling. They were asked to think about objects that they could reuse and repurpose.

The children had prior knowledge on where the trash in Singapore goes. They were surprised by the amount of rubbish collected daily.

The children were able to practice the skill of observation where they tried to point out objects that I reused in class. They were also able to communicate the data they gathered to make suggestions.

Genevie: We can use boxes to store things that we don't use everyday at home.

Chase: Sometimes the delivery needs boxes so the object inside won't be spoiled.

Audelia: We can go inside the box and colour it inside.

Nathan Gunawan: Teacher Jed uses cardboard boxes to write words and displays in class.

Zhi Xi: We can decorate boxes and use them for artworks.

Fangming: We can stack up the boxes and make a castle.

Since cardboard boxes are the most commonly recycled items in school, the children's participation were centred around on it and I decided to apply their learning by making use of their ideas such as stacking cardboard boxes and especially decorating and writing on them. Given the chance, I could have discussed several items we could reuse and repurpose first before focusing on how to recycle cardboard boxes.