Small aproned chefs bustled about in the Little House kitchen each afternoon as first graders opened the doors to their restaurant, “Seventeen Students,” a project that was part of a year-long focus on communities and the interconnected systems within communities.

The restaurant project kicked off with a field trip to Pieology in Palo Alto, where students toured the restaurant, learned about restaurant operations from the manager, and of course made their own delicious pizzas. First graders brought this learning back to campus and began hatching plans for their own restaurant.

For four afternoons, students opened and ran their restaurant in their classroom. All students had the opportunity to inhabit the roles of waiter, chef, dishwasher, and customer. Outside of restaurant hours, students reflected on their findings, shared feedback, and proposed changes to improve their systems. Students were are able to experience the messiness of in-the-moment problem solving, and see first-hand the interconnection of parts and roles within a system.

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