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structures and building materials from the week (see Days 1–4)
- build
- structure
MA Standards:
English Language Arts/Speaking and Listening/SL.PK.MA.1 Participate in collaborative conversations with diverse partners during daily routines and play.
MA Draft Standards:
Physical Sciences/Motion and Stability; Forces and Interaction /PS2.C Explore the strength and stability of buildings as they build structures with different materials. [Cause and Effect, Stability and Change]
Head Start Outcomes:
Logic and Reasoning/Reasoning and Problem Solving Classifies, compares, and contrasts objects, events, and experiences.
Science Knowledge/Scientific Skills and Method Observes and discusses common properties, differences, and comparisons among objects.
PreK Learning Guidelines:
English Language Arts/Language 2 Participate actively in discussions, listen to the ideas of others, and ask and answer relevant questions.
Explore Together (indoors): Build with Different Materials
© Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Department of Early Education and Care (Jennifer Waddell photographer). All rights reserved.
STEM Key Concepts: Different materials are useful for making different structures and different parts of structures
ELA Focus Skills: Listening and Speaking, Vocabulary
Educator Prep: Replenish and stock the room with a variety of building materials for children to use. Direct children’s attention to the materials, and make sure they are easily available.
Let children continue to explore building the structures they have been working on this week. Pose a challenge for children by having them recreate their houses, bridges, and other 3D structures using different materials.
Before children begin their exploration, display the building materials they have been using during the week. Talk with children about the materials they have already used to build their structures and how they might rebuild their structures using different materials. Encourage children to work together.
Reflect and Share
Gather children to share their observations. Ask them questions to help them reflect on the challenges they faced building their structures in a new way. For example, ask,
- How was it easier (or harder) to make the <house> with <wooden blocks> compared to <marshmallows>? Why do you think so?
- After trying to build a <house> using these materials, which materials do you think make the strongest <house>? Why?
- What is the best way to use the <bristle blocks> to make a <wall>? Why?
English Language Learners: Point to each of the materials used in the activity. Say the word for each item clearly. Have children repeat the word after you. Then, talk with children about how it is used. Have children describe how they used the material to build their structures.
Adaptation: You might prefer to have very young children do the activity individually, with one-to-one supervision.