After spending four years in Brazil, and coming back to Canada, I’ve really started to miss Brazilian food. In this post I will share a common dish that I have adapted to make with easily available ingredients here.
Start by seasoning two pounds of chicken thighs. Add two cubes of chicken stalk and 2 tablespoons of vinegar to the chicken, mix well and let stand for one hour.
Start with the chicken thighs, heat two tablespoons of olive oil, and brown the chicken thighs. Add one chopped onion, 2 chopped celery stalks, and one tomato. Fry together for 3 minutes, until onions are transparent.
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Add two cups of uncooked rice, 2 teaspoons of parsley, and 2 teaspoons of salt. Stir together and add 4.5 cups of water.
Cover, and boil for 30 minutes, or until water has evaporated and the rice is creamy.
Enjoy an easy, healthy and DELICIOUS meal to warm your soul. Saudes!
Geocaching is an real-world outdoor recreational activity where participants use a Global Positioning System (GPS) device to hide and seek “Geocaches” that are cleverly placed all over the world. Here is a short video to help explain:
When Geocaching started in early 2000, there were only 75 geocaches, now there are over 3 million official Geocaches spread across 190 countries. All Geocaches can be found on Geocaching.com, and there is an associated app that you can download on your mobile device to hide and find caches.
Geocaches come in all different sizes, and are hidden as different difficulty levels. There are 14 types of official caches:
The most common types are the Traditional cache, the Multi-cache, and the Mystery Cache. Within the Traditional cache, there are three specific types based on size: the Micro cache, Standard Cache, and a Macro cache.
The steps of Geocaching are as follows: 1) pick a cache at Geocaching.com, 2)navigate to the coordinates with your phone or GPS device, and 3) once at your coordinates, use the clue or solve the puzzle to find your cache! But there are some rules and etiquette to keep in mind while you’re Geocaching.
Every cache must contain a log book, if you find a cache, you must sign the logbook
Most caches have a series of items in them, often associated with a theme, if you want to take an item, you must trade for it, and leave something behind (TSLS)
Geocachers are usually quite environmentally conscience, so it makes sense that one major rule is that if you see any trash while you’re out, you have to pack it out with you. Better known as “Cache In, Trash Out” (CITO).
Finally, after you have found that cache, log in to Geocaching.com and rate the cache, you can also comment on any damage or general comments you have.
Applications:
Geocaching is a tool that can be used by teachers cross-curricularly. It uses ESRI geographic information system software as a free license resource for education. Students and teachers can download the app for free, but because it shares GPS information, it might be best to use handheld GPS devices with students. Most obviously, it can be used as a way to have students practice following GPS, but Geocaching can be used across the disciplines.
Art: Teachers can have students create their own cache, build it in a creative container, decorate it, and include a small treasure made in class. Students will need to follow the guidelines of what needs to be included in a Geocache, decide where to hide it, and create a clue for other people to use.
Science: One specific type of cache is called a lab cache. To solve the cache, the finder must perform an experiment. Science teachers can either find a preexisting lab cache with their students, create one together as a class project, or create one for their students, building on a skill or concept they learned in class. With regular caches, teachers can have students record biodiversity at the cache site, or track how many different species they saw on the way.
History: Teachers can use Geocaching as a way to discover more about historical sites around the city. They can send students to a cache and have them learn about the significance of the site, or they can first study the site, and then explore it through geocaching.
English Language Arts: Teachers could have students write poems to describe the location of the cache. Students can also create themed caches relating to their novel study, working in groups to make the container, log book, and content represent an element of their novel. They can write a clue that would be theme appropriate, hide it, and have the class find it. Once found, the group could present about the cache they created.
Physical Education: Geocaching would be a great way to get a class outside on a nature walk, ensuring students were engaged and motivated to get to the cache!
Mathematics: Teachers can have students in groups find different caches. They can then plot the sites on graph, and find the distance between each one.
The list above is only the beginning, as the possibilities for using Geocaching in the classroom are endless.
But the way we did it, it was a heavy, high calorie, not overly healthy dish. But I would like to introduce you to grown up tacos – all the deliciousness, none of the guilt (It’s a salad!).
The Meat:
Lean Ground Beef
1 Tbsp. Chili Powder.
1/4 tsp. Garlic Powder.
1/4 tsp. Onion Powder.
1/4 tsp. Crushed Red Pepper Flakes.
1/4 tsp. Dried Oregano.
1/2 tsp. Paprika.
1 1/2 tsp. Ground Cumin.
1 tsp. Sea Salt.
Fry up beef, add in the spices, and pronto!
Cook the meat
Add the spices with a little water
2. The Salad:
You can get creative if you like, but I am a traditionalist.
Lettuce
Tomato
Onion
Avocado
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3. Mount Your Salad, and garnish.
I tend to make a bed of lettuce, sprinkle with tomato and onion, and add the meat on top, with salsa!!
On Tuesday we had the opportunity to visit Oak Bay High. First of all, let me share my impression of the school, then, I will go through some of the knowledge that was shared with us by Trevor.
The School:
It was big. As I approached the school, I had to ask a student which door to go into to find the office.
It was new. The building itself looked new and modern.
The layout was different than a “traditional school”. The school itself had a very open, modern vibe – with low lockers, and open concept layout, it gave the feel of a very versatile and adaptable space, that would facilitate learning well.
The Talk:
Once we entered the school, Trevor led a fantastic discussion. He inspired us to consider bringing inquiry into our classrooms – both guided and free. For me, guided inquiry is overwhelming and scary, but the example of guided inquire he showed us makes sense. I think it would be fun to have a project where the teacher gave me the idea of what I have to explore, but allowed me to dive into it how I want.
He showed up many different resources, including a graphic he designed!
I walked away from the discussion feeling like I, too, can bring inquiry into my class, no matter what subject I teach.
Earth Viewer is a free, interactive app available on apple and Android devices. It allows students and teachers (all users) to view an interactive globe. Users can add cloud cover, rain, light, sun reflections, etc.
This application is confusing, and I wouldn’t recommend it for classroom use. It is available for Apple, but the app for apple is very different. The apple version allows users to go back 4.5 million years in history to see the formation of the crust, and how it has moved and changed over time. Earth can be rotated in any direction and zoomed in and out. There are also options to see the major geological events, biological events, mass extinctions, impact events, fossils, cities, and the latitude and longitude grid.
While the apple version seems useful for the classroom, the android version is complex, and poorly organized. Once the user had added an option to the globe, it is hard to get it removed again, so layers upon layers are added.
Use in the Classroom:
Android: I would only use this app as a globe, to look at perspectives.
Apple: With a lot of pre-teaching, this app could be used to reinforce ideas about plate tectonics, as well as other historical events.
Overall, its free, I might give my students some time to play with it, but I wouldn’t use it as a teaching tool!
If you are anything like me, coleslaw is comfort food. Its a staple at family BBQs, often home-made by my ever-so-talented grandma. But it is far from guilt free – smothered in mayo, and oh, so high in calories.
I’ve developed a recipe for coleslaw using, fresh, natural ingredients.
The Dressing:
2 Tablespoons of Olive Oil
1 Tablespoon of Red Wine Vinegar
1/4 Teaspoon of Salt
1/4 Teaspoon of Pepper
1/4 Teaspoon of Dill
The ‘Slaw
1/2 of a Cabbage
1/2 Apple
1/4 Red Onion
1 Carrot
I don’t have a food processor, so I chop the cabbage and onion, and grate the carrot and apple.
Mix all together with dressing, and let stand for 30 minutes.
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This is the easiest, and most delicious coleslaw! It’s light, fresh, and so tasty!
I think breakfast is the best meal of the day, and I get great joy out of preparing a delicious, healthy, stick-to-your-ribs, kind of meal to start the day. Weekends are the best, because you can pour a cup of steaming hot coffee, and take your time preparing a delicious breakfast.
Today, I made a whole 30 compliant, super yummy breakfast.
Step 1:
2 small potatoes
half an onion
half a red pepper
Chop potato, onion, and red peppers. Saute them until the potatoes are cooked. Add salt and pepper.
Step 2:
4 eggs
1 handful of spinach
salt and pepper to taste
Scramble eggs (add a splash of water). Remove potato mixture from pan, and add eggs and spinach, constantly stirring until eggs are cooked.
Step 3:
Add potato mixture back to the eggs, mix all together, and add salt and pepper to taste.
We are back on track after a long weekend of celebrating our blessings with family. Tonight’s dinner: SALMON
First step: Salmon Marinade
I mixed together one clove of garlic, one tablespoon of honey and soy sauce, and a teaspoon of mustard
I put this inside and on top of the salmon, as well as some lemon slices, and baked for about an hour at 350 C
Next step: Rice
Drawing on the Brazilian Influence that I have, I always make my rice “Brazilian Style”. I fry the rice in garlic and oil, before adding boiling water and salt. I then cook it one time uncovered, until the water evaporates, and then add more water and a lid to finish the cooking.
Last…
I made some fried Kale. Starting with clean, stemless, and cut kale, I fried it in a little olive oil with salt and garlic. Simple and delicious!
Viola! A simple, healthy and DELICIOUS Monday night dinner!
Today, we visited the Pacific School of Innovation and Inquiry.
It was such a cool experience to not only hear first hand the process of opening a school, but to see an “ideal education model” in practice. Throughout the first few months of the PPD Program, and over arching theme has been that the system is broken, but we are slowly trying to fix it. It seems as though PSII is on the right track for what education SHOULD be, in a perfect world.
I had the opportunity to sit with a student as he walked me through his inquiry project. It was amazing to hear how many “subjects” he was covering by exploring something he truly WANTED to explore. BINGO. Relevant, interesting, engaging.
So, why aren’t we all doing this?
Because – it’s not so simple.
To have an inquiry based school, the school needs to stay small. There is a maximum size cap in order to maintain the integrity of student driven learning.
Students need to be intrinsically motivated. This model isn’t for everyone.
It takes time to change the “system”
It was an honour to be welcomed into such an innovative learning environment. Although I may never open my own school, its possible to weave these practices into my own class.
Thanksgiving is a time for families and friends to come together, eat, and be thankful for their many blessings. This year, I had the pleasure to be home, and cooking with my grandma – something that I have cherished since I was a little girl!
First of all, it was great to spend this time with my family. I had the chance to play games, shop, cook, and go to the corn maze with my sisters and brother-in-law.
Although I won’t share all the recipes here, as Thanksgiving isn’t the time to follow your diet, I will share this – Health is important – good, natural food is important, but sometimes you’ve got to eat the pie, drink the wine, and enjoy the company!
Emily Oliveira 