Inspiration, Culture, Wonder and Curiosity Came Out to Play!

“This is the Brown Girls’ Treehouse where girls like me get to play.”

February was a special month where we honored and celebrated Black History Month and International Women’s and Girl’s Science Day. We read many books and explored different science/stem and art wonderings. Our Young Steam Inventors were fascinated and excited to connect with other children around the world celebrating International Women’s and Girls Science Day and Black History Month.

Preschool and Kindergarten

Our study of Wood and Materials started with exploring the process of how a tree in the woods becomes a chair that we sit in or blocks that we use in our block space. We explored and asked many questions like, “what happens when plywood gets wet?” and “how is plywood made?”.

We wondered what would happen when we attached large numbers of paper clips to smaller pieces of wood in tubs of water.

To end our study of wood students followed the engineering process to design, build and sketch treehouses using different types of wood. Kindergarten students sketched in their science notebooks and preschoolers drew their ideas out on white art paper and displayed in their classrooms.

Pre-K students show off their engineering skills.

Pre-K students practicing their engineering skills building treehouses

Kindergarten Treehouses and Sketches

Preschool and Kindergarten Reading about, Sketching, and Building Treehouses

Preschool and Kindergarten Science reading, Treehouse sketches and building 1

Preschool and Kindergarten Science reading, Treehouse sketches and building 3

Preschool and Kindergarten Science reading, Treehouse sketches and building 2

Preschool and Kindergarten Science reading, Treehouse sketches and building 4

Preschool and Kindergarten Science reading, Treehouse sketches and building 5

Preschool and Kindergarten Science reading, Treehouse sketches and building 6

Preschool and Kindergarten Science reading, Treehouse sketches and building 7

Preschool and Kindergarten Science reading, Treehouse sketches and building 8

Preschool and Kindergarten Science reading, Treehouse sketches and building 9

Preschool and Kindergarten Science reading, Treehouse sketches and building 10

Preschool and Kindergarten Science reading, Treehouse sketches and building 11

Preschool and Kindergarten Science reading, Treehouse sketches and building 12

Preschool and Kindergarten Science reading, Treehouse sketches and building 13

Preschool and Kindergarten Science reading, Treehouse sketches and building 14

Science, Literacy, and Engineering: Preschool and Kindergarten Study of Wood

Preschool and Kindergarten Science, Literacy and Engineering Study of Wood 1

Preschool and Kindergarten Science, Literacy and Engineering Study of Wood 2

Preschool and Kindergarten Science, Literacy and Engineering Study of Wood 3

Preschool and Kindergarten Science, Literacy and Engineering Study of Wood 6

Preschool and Kindergarten Science, Literacy and Engineering Study of Wood 5

Preschool and Kindergarten Treehouse Sketches

Preschool and Kindergarten Treehouse Sketches 3

Preschool and Kindergarten Treehouse Sketches 4

Preschool and Kindergarten Treehouse Sketches 5

Preschool and Kindergarten Treehouse Sketches 6

The Singing Ringing Tree

The Singing Ringing Tree is a sculpture designed by Tonkin Lui Architects. It was designed and built a hill-top sound sculpture overlooking the town of Burnley, England. It was named after the Brothers Grimm folk story.

singing-ringing-tree

Here is a link where you can hear the sculpture singing and ringing!

Students built their own Singing Ringing Trees

“This looks like a real tree that I want to climb.”

Treehouses The Singing Ringing Tree 5
“I want to design a singing ringing tree but I would add bells and lights to it. It would be like a marble ramp and you can send big marble balls to hit the bells and make sounds. You could use LED lights at night to save energy.”

Treehouses The Singing Ringing Tree 1
“I want my singing ringing tree to be a treehouse. I want to sleep in it and have fun playing with my friends. I would put a pulley in it to bring up snacks for us to eat.”

Treehouses and Science Literacy Development

Treehouses and Science Literacy Development 3

Kindergarten and School-Wide Treehouses

Treehouses Kindergarten and School-Wide Treehouse 1

Treehouses Kindergarten and School-Wide Treehouse 2

Treehouses Kindergarten and School-Wide Treehouse 3

Treehouses Kindergarten and School-Wide Treehouse 4

Treehouses Kindergarten and School-Wide Treehouse 5

YSI Pre-K Treehouse blueprints and Treehouse building

YSI Preschool Treehouse Building and blueprints 1

YSI Preschool Treehouse Building and blueprints 2

YSI Preschool Treehouse Building and blueprints 3

YSI Preschool Treehouse Building and blueprints 4

YSI Preschool Treehouses and Blueprints 5

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YSI Preschool Treehouses and Blueprints 8

YSI Preschool Treehouses and Blueprints 9

Grade 1: Squirrel Study

Grade 1 students have been studying Animals in science and in their classrooms. This year featured a new FOSS Science Kit that connects to the learning in the classroom. I shared that with you on previous posts. The last two weeks of February focused on animal behavior in the winter. In science we observed and studied squirrels

Squirrel Study- Flying Contraptions that inspired our grade 1 Engineers

Squirrel Study- Flying Contraptions that inspired our grade 1 Engineers

Squirrel Behavior in Winter and Safe Squirrel Trap Design

Gr 1 Squirrel behavior in winter and safe squirrel trap designs 3

Gr 1 Squirrel behavior in winter and safe squirrel trap designs 4

Gr 1 Squirrel behavior in winter and safe squirrel trap designs 5

Gr 1 Squirrel behavior in winter and safe squirrel trap designs 6

Squirrel Trap Designs and Fiction Literature

Gr 1 Squirrel Designs and fiction literature 1

Gr 1 Squirrel Designs and fiction literature 2

Gr 1 Squirrel Designs and fiction literature 3

Gr 1 Squirrel Designs and fiction literature 4

Gr 1 Squirrel Designs and fiction literature 5

Grade 1 Squirrel Study and Engineering Designs

Grade 1 Squirrel Study and Engineering Designs 3

Grade 1 Squirrel Study and Engineering Designs 4

Grade 1 Squirrel Study and Engineering Designs 5

I decided to interview one student to talk about our learning journey.

Grade 1 Science Squirrel Study and Creativity Student Interview with Ms. Alicia

“We made Safe Science Traps to catch the squirrel running around in our school. Ms. Alicia told us that we had to design a safe trap to catch the squirrel and put him safely back into our playground area. She said someone left the door open to bring out balls and he got into the building. We talked about what kind of bait we needed to use. We said nuts like acorns, flowers, berries and seeds. We didn’t know that squirrels like to eat tree bark until we read a book about it. We started thinking of ideas on the type of traps we would build and where we would put them in the school. Most kids thought the cafeteria was the best place to put it because the squirrels don’t have as much food in the winter. After that we want to look at our sketches which is a kind of Blueprint to make it with recycled materials. That’s all I have to say.” ~Grade 1 Student

We will end the unit with touching upon the plant lifecycle. Students will plant, grow, observe and record their wheat and grass plants.