Glitter Vegetable Soup...Yum!

Fall, the best time of year. The weather is not too cold, and not too warm. 
For our weekly collaboration, I thought it would be great to get the kids outside. 
Surrounded by all the natural elements, and a nice cool breeze, I began assembling a few "ingredients" for a meal. 
Without words or gestures,  I presented the children with various flowers (petals), leaves, seeds, liquid watercolors, glitter, dish soap, dill, ground turmeric, and a tub filled with warm water.

As the children continued to play, a lively discussion was forming. There was only one issue, they couldn't find the vegetables in the big pot of soup. I asked them if they were sure they'd put the veggies in. They nodded "yes" in unison. 

So what had happened to the vegetables, I wondered aloud. Soon, a friend realized what was happening...they had sunk to the bottom.
Why did the glitter float on top of the soup? How come the soup looked different (lighter/darker) in each friend's bowl?

This discussion made me think of a quote from educator and philosopher John Dewey, that I came across a few years ago. It said:

“Give the pupils something to do, not something to learn; and the doing is of such a nature as to demand thinking; learning naturally results.”

I couldn't agree more.
Stay tuned for pics from the weekly collaboration post...coming soon.