Building Blocks

 
The kindergartners have been busy “On the Job!” with our second case study.  Fueled by the field work two weeks ago to the Hardware Department at Home Depot, they have been honing their building skills under the careful guidance of two experts– Brent (Ethan’s dad) and Jaimie (Cheyanne’s mom).  The kindergartners sanded the rough boards of the loft; they pre-drilled the pickets using a hand drill; and they screwed the pickets into the loft railing using clamps, hand screwdrivers and electric screwdrivers (with Jaimie’s supervision!).  They have worked diligently and responsibly to complete the daily tasks (jobs given to them via morning messages from an “anonymous builder.”  The loft is now nearly complete!  On Monday, the students will nail down carpet on the loft floor and then transform the loft into a dramatic play area.  The fun and learning never end! smiley
 
This past week moved us into the architecture/planning phase of our Case Study.  It was a breathtaking week—jam-packed with truckloads of hard work and focus!  We began the week by brainstorming a list of ideas for our Final Product—a building project to be given to our school as an act of community service.  After trimming the list to three choices, your youngsters began the arduous task of surveying each child and staff member at SELS.  Armed with clipboards, an oral-language learning target (to speak loudly and clearly) and a wealth of role-playing under their belts, the kindergartners ventured out onto the playground and into classrooms to survey.  The process was exciting to witness—each of them gained confidence and became increasingly committed to our building project.  After two days of surveying, tallying survey data and graphing the final results, the kindergartners have a final product– a rope bridge and a low-ropes course element!  These will be wonderful contributions to the adventure component of the SELS curriculum.  I wish you all could have seen the pride on your children’s faces as older students gathered near the graph (posted on the Office door) to see the final outcome.  Everyone, from 6th graders to 1st graders, was abuzz with anticipation!
 
The remainder of the week in Kindergarten was spent with a design expert—Jenna (Sutter’s mom).  Jenna introduced our students to the architectural design/planning process.  The children learned that initial “idea sketches” turn into drawings with dimensions and details, and then into 3-D models and finished products.  Students explored the model home Jenna brought and sequenced photos of various building projects.  The model enthralled them and helped them grasp the steps involved in the building process.  Next, the kindergartners had a field work day at the Faulkner architectural firm.  The students loved seeing the computer programs–Sketch Up (showing 3D design) and AutoCAD–and were particularly impressed by the size of the printer used for plans!  From the office, we headed to Martis Camp, where Jenna showed the Crew a 3’X4′ detailed model home and the beautiful/unique finished home, side by side.  Just down the road, in Martis Camp, we were invited to eat lunch and have a tour of Seamus Gallagher’s (Kellen’s dad) construction site.  The kids felt special eating lunch on the job site and were anxious to get on with the tour!  Seamus showed them the building plans and took the Crew on a walk through the project. It was fun to imagine the layout based on the plans and foundation!  The kindergartners were able to see the process from “initial idea” all the way through to “finished product.”  It was a great day in the field! 
 
All in all, it has been an extremely busy and productive time in Kindergarten!  A tremendous thank you to all of our experts.  Your knowledge and leadership have truly made the learning authentic and high-quality.  Stay tuned for more of the planning phase of the Bell Crew’s final product.  We can’t wait to showcase the product and the children’s new skills at Celebration of Learning on Dec. 15th.

 

Nuts and Bolts

11/295:30-7:00pm Diversity Awareness workshop—All are welcome.
12/26:00-8:00pm Gratitude Dinner in the gym—This is a wonderful night!
12/14Minimum Day—No after-school care; all dismiss at 1:00pm.
12/15Celebration of Learning:  6:00-7:30pm
12/19-1/2Winter Break—No school!