Where in our classroom can you find kids drafting, planning, designing? Reading and writing? Experimenting with balance, gravity, and energy? Developing social skills, cooperating, and successfully sharing a small space? Using imagination, being creative, developing elaborative language skills? All of that in one place- The Block Center!
In December we read The Polar Express, a story about a magical train ride to the North Pole After many days of working with our Polar Express train set, and taking several imaginary journeys there, we challenged the kids to build the North Pole in the block center. The got right to work.
They planned, built, and tweaked their structure until it was just what they wanted. They used accessories liek elves, presents, and reindeer from the math center. As they worked I wanted to know more about what they were doing, so I asked some open-ended questions. Our conversation lead us to the idea of making some signs for the building "so everyone would know where things should go".
"A" wanted a sign to show the "elves" where to go. Together we sounded out the word, carefully listening for beginning, medial and ending sounds. She found then all, wrote them down, and proudly labeled the elf department.
Another friend thought we needed a sign to say "North Pole". We haven't worked with "N" yet, so some kids are not as familiar with the sound/symbol. No problem, "M" to the rescue! He went over to our working alphabet wall found the letter she needed and pointed to it for her. A few short minutes later her sign was complete and so was the project!
I love to see them working together on a shared mission, experiencing success and working through problems. I also love knowing that they are doing the best, most important work of childhood-playing! It just so happens that we have found a way to sneak that learning in there, whether they know it or not!
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