In March we studied Maple Sugaring. We learned that the sap from Maple trees can be turned into Maple Syrup and Maple Sugar.

How does Maple Sap become Maple Sugar?
To find out, we took a field trip to New Canaan Nature Center. First they took us to a maple tree and showed us how the sap is taken out of the tree. One person in each class got to drill a hole into a piece of wood. Then a spout is placed in the hole in the tree and a bucket is hung from the bottom of the spout. A cover is placed over the bucket to keep out animals, leaves, and rain. After the sap is collected. you take it to the Sugar House. The Nature Center has a Sugar House. There they showed us how the Maple Sap is boiled until it becomes Maple Syrup. The man told us over and over to remember that sap is partially sugar, partially salt, and mostly water. By boiling the sap, you get rid of the water and the salt and just leave in the sugar. We got to taste the finished syrup on popcycle sticks. It was GREAT!!!

Who discovered Maple Syrup?
In the days of old when the Indians were in America, they discovered that heating up maple sap made it into a syrup. They put it on all their food to add more taste. To heat up the sap they did not use and oven. They made a hole in a tree log and poured the sap inside. Then they made a fire and heated rocks. When the rocks got hot, they threw them into the sap. It took a long time for them to make maple syrup this way but the taste must have been worth it.