A Study of Buildings!

Our school follows the Creative Curriculum. In this curriculum are studies of different topics (buildings, clothing, bread...) Each study lasts as long as the children are interested in them, and they can be customized to the class's interest in the subject. We decided as a school to start with the study "Buildings".

Week One:

In the sensory table I put some building blocks in dirt to make a construction site.

We began by exploring the topic. We went outside our school and sat in front of it, and each drew an Observational picture of it. It was really cool to see the the children take such an interest in it.

Using different size and shape blocks, the children worked in pairs to build.

We talked about different kinds of buildings and the types of things that happen inside them.

The children each picked a kind of building to draw the inside of, and we turned it into a book.

Week Two:

 This week we focused on the buildings around our school. Since our school is on a busy road, and there are no buildings very close to use, we focused on our own. To start off, we made a map of the school on the white board, working together to remember things to draw on it. then the children made their own.

We compared pictures of our school to different schools. First the children looked at four pictures, and chose two to compare.

As a large group we made a map of our classroom. Then on their own they drew a classroom map.

We compared pictures of different classrooms. I found 4 pictures for the children to look at, and they picked two to compare.

We looked at some road maps, and the children made map art. With markers they drew roads first, and then added buildings. I cut out building shapes from dollar store sponges for the children to use.

  
Week Three:

We focused on the people that build buildings and how they do. The children made a class book filled with illustrations of Construction Sites.

My assistant teacher brought in a toolbox for the children to explore tools. They felt them, picked them up and asked questions about them.

The class had a discussion of who the different people were that built various parts of our classroom; plumber, electrician, general contractor.

I emptied out my sensory table and added unifix cubes and pieces of construction paper. The children worked in small groups to build different height buildings and create a Unifix city.

Week Four: 

We focused on the rooms at home and at school. First the class worked together to make a list of all the different rooms that we have at school, and the rooms that they have in their houses.

They each picked their favorite room at school, wrote which room it was a drew a picture of it. I turned this into a book that we put in the library center.

The children worked and played in partners to build with different size and shape blocks.

Next they picked their favorite room at their house and drew a picture of it. After they drew the picture, they wrote on the back, and we turned it into a book for the library center.

We talked about the features of a room, and looked around at our classrooms windows, doors, sinks, doorways etc. The children picked on to draw a picture of. They sat in front of the feature so that they were able to observe it while drawing.

Week Five:

Week Six:
 
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