So many things can be a field trip when you're living overseas (or if you're being a tourist in your own culture.) On Thursday, I decided to teach the boys a little about sugar production in the Philippines.
I had been scratching my head over why the big supermarkets here had so many different kinds of sugar. Well, the reason is that sugar was the most important agricultural export of the Philippines for about 100 years, from the late 19th century through the 1970's. Sugar is produced throughout several islands and regions, but the most important area of sugar production is Negros Occidental, so I decided to take the opportunity to head to their annual trade fair at Glorietta 3 in Makati.
So here's how ya do a field trip on Philippine sugar production if you're a homeschooling mom. :)
Step 1: Throw your kids in the van and pull up a couple of Youtube videos. This one was good. And so was this one. Ask them what they noticed in the videos, and have a short discussion while you're headed to Makati.
Step 2: Get there as the mall opens and while the fair is still setting up for the day. Make sure you're prepared for this by bringing a bag of books to read in a McCafe while sharing a hot chocolate. Be thankful that your oldest student knew that this was a Filipino field trip and threw this wonderful picture book into the bag. (Go ahead and watch it read. I dare you not to cry.)
Step 3: Find the garden set up of regional plants. See them get excited when they find rambutan. Smile as the friendly volunteers encourage them to try walking on coconut shell stilts.
Step 4: Oooh and ahh over regional masks. Remind them of the fiesta we went to with church friends, and tell them that these are masks that people wear in Negros during their fiestas.
Step 5: Make note of all the booths of sweet things to try. Ask your kids why they think there are so many bakery items produced in Negros. Watch the wheels turn in their minds and things start to click. Hint: when you've got access to a lot of sugar, you bake with it. Try a lot of samples, and watch your baby have his first suman dipped in coco sugar.
Step 6: Walk to the handicrafts section of the fair. Enjoy hearing about the production of stone decorative items in Negros using all native stones and native metals. Ask questions.
Step 7: Make sure you've got plenty of Negros baked goods and muscovado sugar to sample for later.
Step 8: Type up what your kids remember about what they've learned the second you walk through your front door. Print it out. Have them draw pictures and describe them to you. Call it a day and pick up the learning some more tomorrow.
Step 9: Learn about muscovado sugar production. Muscovado sugar is sometimes called poor man's sugar because it is the least refined sugar using the simplest methods. Basically, you squeeze the cane, use the cane husks to build a fire, and boil the juice until it's concentrated. Then you pour it out and keep stirring constantly as it dries. That's muscovado sugar, and it's delicious, with a strong taste of molasses. If you want to see more, watch this video.
Step 10: Have a taste test of refined sugar, brown sugar (which is refined sugar with molasses added back in), and muscovado. Decide which you like the best. Make sure to let your ate taste as well so she can vote also. Promise your children Negros treats for dessert after dinner.
Sweetest field trip evah! ;)
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