Today in the Messy Materials Area, children were observed “cooking a pig.”  In this picture, two boys pretend to carry a pig on the stick.  Other children joined in to help put sticks and other materials on to the fire.  As we observed them, it was very obvious that some of them have had first-hand experience of preparing and cooking a pig for an imu.  When children share background knowledge and experiences with their peers or teachers, it is a way for them to connect home and school.  Children acquire understanding of the world around them from personal experiences.  They learn about human interdependence and the relationships between people and their environment.  Educators use the words “Social Studies” to label this kind of social and cultural learning and understanding.