Teachers and children of PCF Sparkletots Preschool @ Bukit Panjang Blk 412 decided to embark on the project ‘Let’s Not Waste Food!’. We wanted the children to understand the importance of not wasting food and to gain awareness on food wastage issues.
On the week of 26th April 2021, through incidental learning during meal time, children were exposed to the concept of wasting food when their peers could not finish their meal. Posters and videos were shown to children for them to observe and ponder over how food wastage comes and how it will affect the environment.
Afterwards, a mind mapping session was conducted with the children to write what they knew and what they could find out more about. Through the mind mapping session, children shared their views, opinions and came to a conclusion that food wastage is affecting Mother Earth and we can do our part to reduce it.
The story ‘Don’t Waste Your Food’ by Deborah Chanceller was read to the children which was about a girl named Amara finding out what happens to food waste, what can be composted, and how to reduce the amount of food we throw away. Additionally, videos were shown to enhance their knowledge on why they should not waste food, how food wastage affects the Earth, and the different ways they can reduce food waste.
The children then went on to design posters encouraging people to do their part to reduce food waste. Prior to this activity, children had brainstormed on the different actions everyone can take to play a part to reduce food wastage.
Furthermore, as discussed during the mind mapping session, the children have shared that we can use food scraps as tools for art such as painting.
Moreover, children got to learn more about the food cycle and how we can recycle food scraps that were wasted through food composting. This got them to have an interest in creating their own class garden where they can make their own composting bins to provide more nutrients and help their plants to grow.
The K1 class dramatised and documented three different actions everyone can do to reduce food waste.
The three different actions are:
● Request for smaller portion when ordering food
●Take away unfinished food when eating out
●Prepare a shopping list before grocery shopping
Parents were informed via Littlelives to create a leftover food recipe with their child. All recipes were collated to be shared with the children in class and other parents. Upon completion of the activity, children understood that one of the many ways to reduce food waste will be to keep leftover food and store it aside to create a new dish.
