This summer the preschoolers in P2 have been fascinated by the Service Berries growing on the trees in our playground. We embarked on an exciting co-learning journey with the children to further their interest and gain a deeper appreciation for how food is harvested and made.
Through research, we discovered that Service Berries, also named June Berries or Saskatoon Berries, can be used to make traditional Canadian prairie desserts such as a Service Berry pie!
Staring this journey in June, the preschoolers worked together over several weeks to collect the ripest berries and understanding the difference between the different colours; deep red / purple (ready to eat) and green (still growing). After thoroughly searching through every tree and bush, the children collaborated with their educators to find the absolute best picks of berries for their pie in a large bowl.
After discussing possible recipes together, the children helped gather the necessary ingredients to begin our baking experience. Using recipe cards and visual instructions, the preschoolers were able to follow along and understand each step of the baking process.
Our first step was to make a homemade pie crust using flour, butter, sugar, salt and ice-cold water. The children were encouraged to measure, mix and combine all the ingredients independently until it formed a soft dough. Each child got to roll out their very own portion of dough with a rolling pin, before placing it into a muffin tin to create their own mini pie.
Our next step was to make the sweet Service Berry filling! As the preschoolers mashed the berries, squeezed fresh lemons and added sugar and flour to a large bowl, our mixture became the perfect filling for our pies. Some children eagerly asked if they could taste test the lemons while having conversations about sour flavors and personal preferences.
Our final step was to top our creations with a brown sugar crumble before the pies went into the oven.
By far, the preschoolers favourite part of the process was enjoying all their hard work as a special snack alongside vanilla ice cream!
The entire process of harvesting, baking and tasting our Service Berry pies became a wonderful celebration of curiosity, hands-on learning and team work. Making the delicious treat from scratch turned into a weeks long exploration of what is possible when working towards a shared goal and collaboration is at the fore front of children’s learning! We look forward too many more cooking and baking adventures as we continue to build on our preschoolers’ interest and inquiries!
