Look What We Have Made

A classroom book of building projects lays the foundation for a new creation.

NAEYC

Areas of Development: Language Development

2.D.07- Children in Ms. Romig's class are provided varied opportunities and materials that encourage them to engage in discussions with one another.

During the construction of a castle with cardboard blocks, a boy discusses with a girl what their castle needs as they look at a picture of another castle in the class's book, "Look What We Have Made!"  The boy tells the girl that they need "a hole so the princess can get inside".

Curriculum Content Areas for Cognitive Development: Early Literacy Development

2.E.04- Children in Ms. Romig's class have varied opportunities to: explore books on their own and they have access to various types of books.

The book, "Look What We Have Made" is a compilation of photographs and descriptions of different structures children in the class constructed with cardboard blocks. The book is available during center time for children's inspiration in constructing their own structures.

Responding to Children's Interests and Needs

3.E.04- A student teacher uses her knowledge of children's... interests, ideas, and skills to tailor learning opportunities for groups and individuals.

A girl looking at a classroom book for ideas of what to build with blocks does not find inspiration initially. When a boy says that he has an idea, the student teacher suggests they look at the book again. The boy and girl, as well as other children, work together to create a castle based on an idea from the classroom book.

 

IELS

8.1-Curiosity and Initiative

Children express curiosity, interest, and initiative in exploring the environment, engaging in experiences, and learning new skills.

Children in Ms. Romig's class explore and experience activities and ideas with eagerness, flexibility, imagination, independence, and inventiveness.

A girl consults the class's "Look What We Have Made!" book when she wants an idea for building a castle. Initially she does not find anything to model her castle after, but another boy states that he has an idea for constructing the castle. The children consult the book again and create an elaborate castle. A classroom associate takes a picture of the structure with the children behind it so that the picture can be added to the "Look What We Have Made!" book.

9.3-Relationships with Caregivers

Children relate positively to caregivers who work with them.

Children in Ms. Romig's class interact comfortably with a range of familiar caregivers...accept guidance... from...familiar caregivers and show trust in familiar caregivers.

The children in Ms. Romig's class are comfortable working with a student teacher. They follow her suggestion to browse the "Look What We Have Made!" book to get ideas for building a castle. They show no reservations in working closely with the student teacher.

10.2-Early Literacy

Children engage in early reading experiences.

Children in Ms. Romig's class attempt to read familiar books and display book handling knowledge by turning the book right side up...and turning one page at a time.

The girl who looks at the "Look What We Have Made!" book in the beginning of the clip shows her proficiency in book handling. When other children are looking at the book, they also demonstrate proper book handling as well.

 

IQPPS

Areas of Development: Language Development

2.18- Children in Ms. Romig's class are provided varied opportunities and materials that encourage them to engage in discussions with one another.

During the construction of a castle with cardboard blocks, a boy discusses with a girl what their castle needs as they look at a picture of another castle in the class's book, "Look What We Have Made!"  The boy tells the girl that they need "a hole so the princess can get inside".

Curriculum Content Areas for Cognitive Development: Early Literacy Development

2.20- Children in Ms. Romig's class have varied opportunities to: explore books on their own and they have access to various types of books.

The book, "Look What We Have Made" is a compilation of photographs and descriptions of different structures children in the class constructed with cardboard blocks. The book is available during center time for children's inspiration in constructing their own structures.

Responding to Children's Interests and Needs

3.12- A student teacher uses her knowledge of children's... interests, ideas, and skills to tailor learning opportunities for groups and individuals.

A girl looking at a classroom book for ideas of what to build with blocks does not find inspiration initially. When a boy says that he has an idea, the student teacher suggests they look at the book again. The boy and girl, as well as other children, work together to create a castle based on an idea from the classroom book.

 

HSPS

1304.21(a)(5)(iii) – The children in Ms. Romig’s class are provided an appropriate environment and adult guidance for the participation of children with special needs through the use of a class-made book made available to the children.

The book “Look What We Have Made” encourages and fosters children’s independence.  The book contains photographs of the children’s block structures and is placed in the block center for children’s reference. The accessibility of the book offers ideas for students who may not know what to build. They have the option to try to replicate past building structures or to try to improve upon past designs. Students are also encouraged to make new structures as well.

1304.21(c)(1)(vi) – The teachers in Ms. Romig’s class provide each child with opportunities for success to help develop feelings of competence, self-esteem, and positive attitudes toward learning.

The book, "Look What We Have Made" is a compilation of photographs and descriptions of different structures children in the class constructed with cardboard blocks. By documenting the children’s work in this way, it places value on the children’s efforts and gives them a sense of pride in their accomplishments. The book is available during center time for children's inspiration in constructing their own structures. 

 

HSCOF

Language Development

Speaking and Communicating

  • Develops increasing abilities to understand and use language to communicate information, experiences, ideas, feelings, opinions, needs, questions, and for other varied purposes

 

Literacy

Print Awareness and Concepts

  • Demonstrates increasing awareness of concepts of print, such as that reading in English moves from top to bottom and from left to right, that speech can be written down, and that print conveys a message.

Book Knowledge and Appreciation

  • Shows growing interest in reading-related activities, such as asking to have a favorite book read; choosing to look at books; drawing pictures based on stories; asking to take books home; going to the library; and engaging in pretend-reading with other children.
  • Progresses in learning how to handle and care for books; knowing to view one page at a time in sequence from front to back; and understanding that a book has a title, author and illustrator.

 

Mathematics

Geometry and Spatial Sense

  • Begins to be able to determine whether or not two shapes are the same size and shape.

 

Science

Scientific Skills and Methods

  • Begins to describe predictions, explanations and generalizations based on past experiences.

Scientific Knowledge

  • Expands knowledge of and respect for their body and the environment

 

Social and Emotional Development

Cooperation

  • Increases abilities to sustain interactions with peers by helping, sharing and discussion.
  • Shows increasing abilities to use compromise and discussion in working, playing and resolving conflicts with peers.

Social Relationships

  • Demonstrates increasing comfort in talking with and accepting guidance and directions from a range of familiar adults
  • Shows progress in developing friendships with peers

 

Approaches to Learning

Initiative and Curiosity

  • Chooses to participate in an increasing variety of tasks and activities
  • Develops increased ability to make independent choices
  • Approaches tasks and activities with increased flexibility, imagination and inventiveness.
  • Grows in eagerness to learn about and discuss a growing range of topics, ideas and tasks.

Reasoning and Problem Solving

  • Grows in recognizing and solving problems through active exploration, including trial and error, and interaction and discussions with peers and adults
  • Develops increasing abilities to classify, compare and contrast objects, events and experiences