Activity one: Meat and three veg
It was common for women in the 1950s to stay home with their children and raise their family. They were called ‘housewives.’ Many housewives followed a simple rule when they prepared the evening meal: the ‘meat and three veg’ rule. This meant that they prepared dinners that included three different vegetables and a type of meat (eg. beef, lamb, or chicken).
On your blog tell us if you think that the ‘meat and three veg’ rule is a good one. Do you like the rule? Would you enjoy eating a typical 1950s dinner? Why or why not?
I do like the Idea of it, but I’m quiet used to eating rice to be honest, it is like the rule in Japan we're you have to have a main plate the onsides (on another plate) and rice with milk. I would enjoy the meal but I think that having to be able to pick how much you want of each food is nice. I normally have a plate and pick what I want from the other plates with different food on them for Dinner.
Activity 2 : What’s in the name
During the 1950s the population of New Zealand grew by 400,000 people. That is huge! In fact, so many people were having babies that many people refer to this period in our history as the ‘baby boom.’ Popular baby names in 1950s New Zealand were:
GIRLS BOYS
Christine John
Susan David
Margaret Peter
Judith Michael
Jennifer Robert
Read through the lists. Are these popular names in your school? On your blog, tell us which names are currently popular in your school. Please provide, at least, three girls’ names and three boys’ names that are popular.
I think that these names are popular at my school.
Girls Boys
Lucy Jacob
Chloe Toby
Bella Isaac
Bonus activity: Snail Mail
For this activity, imagine that you are living in New Zealand in the 1950s. Use Google Draw* to design the front of a postcard that you could send to a friend. Try to include elements of Kiwiana in your design (e.g. Pohutukawa trees, Hokey Pokey ice cream, etc). Post a copy of your postcard picture to your blog. Be sure to describe what you have drawn on your blog beneath the picture.
This is my postcard that I made.
I have tried to put kiwiana by adding, pohutukawa (left) Kiwi, (bottom right) fantail (in the pohutukawa tree) and ferns. I have also put Kia ora from new Zealand because it’s welcoming.
Hope you like it!
