Posted in 5th Grade, Projects, Public Education

ENGLISH BREAKFAST AT SCHOOL

Primary School of Efxeinoupoli

English Breakfast at school has been a tradition at whichever Primary School I have ever been appointed to for years! When my 5th graders reach Unit 3 at the listening task that shows pictures of some children making pancakes as a surprise breakfast for their parents, that is when my learners are introduced to the fact that it is their turn this year to enjoy English Breakfast at school!

5th Greade Course Book

5th Greade Course Book

This school year, my 5th graders at the Primary School of Efxeinoupoli, Greece, had been completely unaware of this tradition I have been following, as I am their new English teacher! When we reached this page some time after the Christmas holidays and my learners were presented with the idea of having English breakfast at school, they were so excited and could not wait for the time to enjoy it to come! However, it was necessary to allow some time to inform their parents and get their consent for the learners’ participation, therefore we proceeded with the necessary official paperwork (please, feel free to request a copy of the consent form, should you need it! This is its online version and it has been slightly altered in the printed version for the parents to sign!)!

Before I start describing what a great and educational experience it has been, let me note that it is not very difficult (or expensive) to organize such an event at school, as most of the schools already have a room for learners to have lunch in. You only have to be prepared to do all the cooking! Our English breakfast normally includes tea, milk with cereals, chocolate chip muffins and pancakes – these last two delicacies will keep you busy in the kitchen, depending on the number of the learners you have to cook for! If you are lucky enough to have a cooker available in school, perhaps you can add eggs and bacon in the menu – unfortunately we could not! Learners are usually asked to bring a cup, a bowl and a tablespoon for the cereals, some fresh milk, honey and/or praline, whereas you, the teacher, (or the school) can provide for the cereals (regular corn flakes), the tea, plates, forks, paper tablecloths, muffins, pancakes and, of course, the pancakes recipe printed in Greek for two reasons: their mums are going to ask for it and/or you can use it as homework (ask them to write the recipe in English for the school blog, for an English-speaking friend, a padlet wall, etc)! Here is the recipe card we used this time:

English breakfast, this year, occured twice in our school, on two different dates, due to the fact that there are two 5th grade classes at the Primary School of Efxeinoupoli. I am not sure that words can describe the excitement and the satisfaction of everybody involved and the discussion we all had on the nutritional value of breakfast as a meal was interactive, educational and eye-opening to many of my learners – as they themselves have stated!  All learners have participated and it is really worth emphasizing how organized, helpful and disciplined they have been throughout the process! Here are some shots of this unique experience for all of us:

You can also check out our school blog post and our padlet wall where now my 5th grade learners are invited to post their thoughts on their experience of the  English breakfast at school, as well as the English version of the Pancakes Recipe I gave them in Greek!

Μετάβαση στο padlet.com

 

Posted in 5th Grade, Projects, Public Education, School Paper Articles

ENGLISH BREAKFAST AT SCHOOL

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Our 5th grade English coursebook introduces pancakes as part of the American breakfast (Unit 4, Lesson 2, p. 54), but they are also included in the English breakfast. After a discussion with the 5th grade learners at the Primary School of Sourpi regarding what an English breakfast includes, its nutritional value and its differences from the Greek breakfast, learners were invited to try the English breakfast at school!!! They had the opportunity to drink tea, have milk with cereals and enjoy delicious pancakes! As they have said, the English breakfast is quite enjoyable and the best part of it was the pancakes!!!

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Posted in 5th Grade, School Paper Articles

ENGLISH BREAKFAST AT SCHOOL – English School Paper, February 2011 Issue

Our 5th grade English coursebook presents in the form of a listening practice task the pancakes, a delicacy that is usually included in the English breakfast. Our learners, triggered by the discussion in the classroom, found information about the English breakfast and wrote articles about it. In addition, having tasted the English breakfast at school, they presented their thoughts and impressions for the English school paper! Finally, they wrote recipes for the pancakes!

English breakfast at school
by John Kalantzis (5th grade)

In February we decided to have an English breakfast at school.

Our English teacher made pancakes and she brought cornflakes and tea. My classmates and I bought milk, honey, chocolate and strawberry syrup.

When we started to eat I felt great. First, we ate cornflakes and after that we ate the pancakes. They smelled fantastic! After that, we drank a cup of tea.

That day I was excited because I think that it was fantastic and I want to do it again one day!

English breakfast at school
by Helen Alamanioti (5th grade)

English breakfast at school is very beautiful, because we eat a lot of different things for breakfast: pancakes, tea, praline, marmalade, milk with corn flakes. It’s a very good breakfast and we like it. And we said thank you, miss and you did a lot of things for us!!! THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR EVERYTHING!!!

English breakfast at school
by Kosmas Gourgiotis (5th grade)

I liked English breakfast at school. English people have a good breakfast for children. I want to eat again English breakfast, I liked it very much. My friends liked English breakfast, too.

English breakfast at school
by Danae Xiromeriti (5th grade)

Last Wednesday we had English breakfast with our English teacher, Miss Vivi Hamilou. The children brought different things. We were all excited and impatient, because we had never eaten English breakfast before!

The food that we ate was delicious! We ate a lot! We ate pancakes that our English teacher cooked. We ate the pancakes with jam, honey and praline. The children who ate a pancake with praline could not eat another one because they had enough! We drank tea, but some children who didn’t like it drank water.

I think this breakfast was fantastic and delicious and I am going to eat it every morning!

English breakfast
by George Papargiris (5th grade)

In England people eat a very big breakfast. They eat pancakes, milk, eggs, and tea. That’s very good because people work better. Some students did a recearch on the good breakfast. Some kids ate a big breakfast and the other kids drank only milk. Then they wrote a test. The children who ate a big breakfast did very well at the test, but the children that drank only milk did not write very well.

English breakfast
by Helen Kaltsouni (5th grade)

People in England believe – and that’s right – that breakfast must be the main meal of the day, because they all need energy and strength for the rest of the day.

So, they all have a rich breakfast that has cereals with milk, eggs with bacon, sweet pancakes and they drink fresh orange juice and, of course, hot tea! People in England drink a lot of tea in the mornings and in the afternoons.

We should all do the same and we should all have a good breakfast, so we will be able to continue our day and be creative!

Pancakes
by George Papargiris (5th grade)

Ingredients:

Solid ingredients
2 cups of flour
2 tablespoons of baking powder
2 tablespoons of sugar
Some salt
Vanilla

Liquid ingredients
2 cups of buttermilk (or milk)
2 eggs
2 tablespoons of olive oil

Procedure:
Sift the flour and pour all the solid ingredients in a bowl. Then pour the liquid ingredients in a bowl and mix. Pour the solid ingredients in the mix with the liquid ingredients. Mix them and wait for 5minutes. Warm a frying pan for 5 minutes. Pour a little oil or butter in the frying pan. Pour half a cup of the dough in the frying pan. Be careful, the fire must be medium! When you see small bubbles, you must turn around the pancake. Put each cooked pancake one on top of the other and serve with praline, jam or honey!

Posted in 5th Grade, Projects, Public Education

English breakfast at school!

Our 5th grade English coursebook introduces pancakes as part of the American breakfast (Unit 4, Lesson 2, p. 54), but they are also included in the English breakfast. After a discussion with the 5th grade learners at the Primary School of Amaliapolis regarding what an English breakfast includes, its nutritional value and its differences from the Greek breakfast, learners were invited to try the English breakfast at school!!! They had the opportunity to drink tea, have milk with cereals and enjoy delicious pancakes! As they have said, the English breakfast is quite enjoyable and the best part of it was the pancakes!!!

Pancakes (20 pieces)
by Chris and Tsetsi Logofetov

Solid Ingredients:
5 cups of flour
5 tablespoons of baking powder
5 tablespoons of sugar
2 vanillas
a little salt

Liquid ingredients:
5 eggs
5 tablespoons of olive oil
5 glasses of fresh milk

Procedure:
We mix all the solid ingredients in a bowl and we mix all the liquid ingredients in another bowl. We put the mixture of the liquid ingredients into the mixture of the solid ones and we mix. We put half a teaspoon of butter into a small, hot frying pan. When the butter melts, we put some of the dough in the frying pan. As soon as it starts steaming (you will see bubbbles), we turn it over with a spatula.

To see the recipe in Greek, click here.

Posted in 5th Grade, School Paper Articles

1st Primary School of Almyros – February Issue – Pancakes

pancakes1.jpg
PANCAKES
by our 5th graders

Ingredients:
2 cups of flour
2 tablespoons of baking powder
1 vanilla extract
1 tablespoon of sugar
a pinch of salt

Liquid ingredients:
2 cups of milk
2 eggs
2 tablespoons of olive oil
(some butter for the frying pan)

Preparation:
Mix all the ingredients in a bowl and all the liquid ingredients in another bowl. Empty the liquid ingredients mixture in the flour mixture and mix until you get a smooth mash. Then, take a small frying pan and put half a teaspoon of butter in it. After it melts, pour some of the mash into the frying pan. When you see small bubbles appearing, turn your pancake on the other side. Leave it until it becomes brownish, and put it on a tray. Put your pancakes one on top of the other, so that they remain hot! Try it at home with your family and good luck! Don’t forget: you can serve them with honey, praline, syrup, marmalade … anything sweet!