DK Schoolhouse Crafting

Thursday, February 23, 2017

Film Critics For a Day




Everybody loves a good fieldtrip!

Field-Trips are incorporated into our curriculum to add context to the topics being studied in class. We host 3 field trips per school year. Our field trip partners are very accommodating in providing facilities, a fun presentation and extra treats for students to take home.

This week, our Kindergarten and Grade classes took a trip to Westtec Media, the company responsible for film production in Cinemas in Phnom Penh.

With school shirts on, comfy shoes and socks and water bottles in hand, the Little Learner’s hit the road to the tune of wheels on the bus. The trip took about15 minutes and we amused ourselves with reading different numbers on license plates. “That license plate has the number 2 so many times in a row!” Remarked N, age 5.
“Yes,” Mr. R replied, “That’s because some license plates cost more than others. When a plate has more than 3 numbers in a row, that means it’s for VIP’s. Who knows what those letters stand for?”

A range of guesses followed. 

“I think it stands for Venus Is Planet” guessed L, age 6. 

“Maybe it stand for Visal-Indrak-Panha!” exclaimed another, naming some of her classmates.

“Those are some good guesses! VIP stands for ‘Very-Important-Person’”
“Like you, Mr. R?” someone inquired. He chuckled. “Yes! Like all of YOU kids too. We’re all very important.”

Once on location, students filed out and lined up neatly in their pre-arranged groups.  The CEO came out to formally greet our “Film Critics” and invited them inside to see the production room. We saw lots of life sized movie posters and even posed next to a few cartoon characters for photos. We saw the film reel that’s used in the cinema and the big screen used to test movies.

As a grand finale we were ushered inside the private cinema for a VIP sneak-peak of an upcoming feature film cartoon. When asked if they knew what a VIP meant, everyone’s hands shot up in the air. Miniature plush red chairs lined the theater and 3D glasses made everything seem to jump off the screen! When it was time to go, the students filled out a survey card with simple YES and NO questions. This was a fun reading activity!

With full tummies and minds buzzing from all that had been seen, the students arrived safely back at school just in time for lunch.

Stay tuned for a recount of our trip to the DAIRY FARM, coming soon in March.

Until next time!

Sunday, January 8, 2017

Term 1 In Review

Happy 2017! We had a fabulous first term with lots of exciting events and activities.

Have a look at some of our picture highlights below.

A Winter Wonderland


GRADE 1!


CLASS PHOTO DAY



 Christmas Activities

 Field Trip #1--- The Fire Department Visits


www.dkschoolhouse.com

Wednesday, December 7, 2016

A Christmas Cookie Tale

It's that time of year for COOKIES! Our annual cookie bake at school went off without a hitch. The smell of cinnamon and sugar enticed even the pickiest of eaters.

That same day, one of our teachers had a rather hilarious baking mishap when she attempted to make a new recipe of cookies for her class. We've included her "ode to a cookie" below, and a delicious tried and proven sugar cookie recipe at the bottom of this post.

A CHRISTMAS COOKIE TALE

Once upon a time,
A teacher set out to bake
Cookies for the class party.
The best, yes she would make. 

She got her shapes together
Mixed ingredients all by hand
"These will be,
She said aloud 
"the best cookies in all the land!" 

Alas! The batter was all wrong
Right from the very start. 
And when they came out from the oven,
They crumbled, fell apart! 

The snowman had a broken nose,
The gingerbread cooked through.
No shapes were left to recognize
No dough left for batch two! 

She took a bite--oh, not so bad 
Stacked crumbles in a row
And suddenly just like a flash,
She knew where the cookies would go. 

"I'll bring these to my students
tell them of my bakers plight
So they may laugh and hopefully,
Still try a tiny bite." 

---Ms. Leah  



The BEST Sugar Cookie Recipe (child-proof!)
  • 1 Cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 Cup granulated white sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
  • 1 egg
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 3 cups all purpose flour 
  1. Preheat oven to 150° C.
  2. Cream butter and sugar until smooth.
  3. Beat in extracts and egg.
  4. In a separate bowl combine baking powder with flour and add a little at a time to the wet ingredients. The dough will be very stiff.  Wet your hands and finish off kneading the dough by hand.
  5. DO NOT CHILL THE DOUGH. Divide into workable batches, roll out onto a floured surface and cut.de
  6. Bake for 6-8 minutes. Let cool on the cookie sheet until firm enough to transfer to a cooling rack.



The finished product! Buttery, sugary and perfect with hot cocoa by the tree.