CONSTRUCTION COMMUNITY DAY

As you know many of our class have been inspired by the construction going on around the school and have created a construction site inside our classroom.  Today we invited Lisa Uhler (Director of Buildings and Grounds) and Ramona Haines (Buildings and Grounds Coordinator) to explain what they do, and how you go about building a school.



They brought us some gifts, blueprints, safety vests, and some safety glasses and gloves.  Ramona read a book that showed all the equipment and people and different steps it takes to put a building together.

During work choice time the children were very excited to show off their construction site and the work they had done.  Ramona and Lisa were also excited, and amazed by how creative the children have been.  They offered to talk to Mortenson and ask some of the workers  to come in and talk about their jobs and the tools they use.  We will try and work this in during the New Year.

We introduced a table of tools for both classes look at.  Next week we hope to have some pieces of wood for our students, so they can learn how to use some of these tools and explore how to use them safely.




We also introducing hammering nails into tree stumps.  Now at this point some of you might be a little anxious, thinking about your child using real tools, please let me reassure you that we do this every year and  it is always a positive experience for the children.  The site below is a blog by two early childhood educators who are passionate about nature and explain why working with tools is beneficial to a child's development.

https://rawandunearthed.com/2016/09/11/hammer-time/

Of course there is a group of students who have no interest in construction at all.  Most of them could be found in dress up playing Queens and princesses.

While others preferred some peace and quiet reading a good book.

Mr Andrews told another of his famous Gunny wolf stories to end the morning.


I have also added a link to a video by Defending Early Years concerning the importance of play.  I found it posted on facebook this afternoon and felt the need to share.

https://vimeo.com/366806783?fbclid=IwAR28GG_SSi_828w63JRvAJsR87znBISWWuzA9-Mt2FqY5HqRG9eoBTjU5ak


QUESTIONS
What type of building did they create in the book' CONSTRUCTION'?
What happened to Gunny wolf?
What was your favorite part of the day?
What is challenge day?