"Get the tape!"

One of our learning goals in room 132 is "I am learning to be a builder." The children outlined some criteria for being a good builder:

I can make a blueprint.

I can make towers and bridges and walls.

I can use lots of different blocks.

I can build strong and steady.

I can try, try, try again.

To support the development of these skills, we introduced a simple piece of large cardboard. Within moments, it became the roof of a fort. With a little prompting, Hunter added some blocks to hold it up.

Then it became a wall.

We saw the need for more cardboard to make both at the same time, so we visited Mr Dejong's recycling bin and picked out a few choice pieces.

Suddenly cries of "Get the tape!" were heard throughout the room.

 But then there was a problem: people would haphazardly stick a wall together, then launch into a dramatic game inside it. Invariably, the walls and the structures fell down and the game had to be stopped to fix it. They tried having one person as the architect, who's job it was to make repairs, but the architect soon got tired of this and wanted to join the game.

 It is still early in the year and our JKs are new to project-based learning, so I helped organize the students to work co-operatively. We read a book about how builders work together, and how hard it would be to put up a building if each builder took the bricks for their own ideas. The children and I came up with a plan, and they got a quick lesson on how to tape things together securely.

Once the children had some basic skills and were motivated to work as a team, the structure grew quickly. It kept growing to accommodate all the people who wanted to help build. Two more rooms, with doors and windows, were added.

 Finally, the structure was strong and steady, and was ready to be played in!

Who needs fancy toys anyways? We did all this learning from just a humble piece of cardboard!