Investigating Maps 3/28/2018

Investigating Maps 

During play, we noticed children drawing on a piece of paper, rolling it up, and using it as their "map". They seemed so interested, we had to investigate further!

I asked the children what a map was for. Abi replied "It helps you get somewhere!" They understood that a map gives directions, but they were still figuring out how it worked. First we printed small examples of maps and asked children to draw their own. Many of them added their house, the school, and roads to their picture.

Ali K., James, & Abigail draw their own maps with inspiration from printed examples.

To extend on their map knowledge, we introduced a large map of the United States. We noticed the children being very invested in this because they could relate it to trips they had taken. Many of our students have traveled this year and enjoyed a visible representation of where they had been. Measurement and comparison skills were incorporated as they saw how close or far places were. They also practiced positional words while seeing that they traveled close, far, up, down, or next to other places.

Camellia, Madison, Talia, & Reda explore a large map. They talk about places
 they have driven or flown and we mark them on the map. 

After gaining more experience and knowledge of maps, we revisited the idea of drawing our own. We noticed the children's drawings become more thoughtful and detailed. They were adding more detailed roads and more than one destination.

            Josiah's map included his house, a road, and the school.
          While drawing, he said,
            "This is where my Auntie drives me".

Lucas used long lines and dots to create his map.

Adam's map includes his house, school, a market, and the road.

Stella said, "My road is taking me to Target". She drew her house
Target, her school, and some roads. 

Talia created a "Map to School". She added her house, the parking lot,
the road, and the school.

Maya created a map with many details including a restaurant
and her vacation!

We are excited to extend on this interest and see how the class learns and understands maps & directions in a new way. 

Exploring building

Using a variety of materials for building

During the last few months the children have been using many different materials to build. In addition to regular building blocks, we have used large magnetic tiles, recycled materials and combined different types of blocks together. They have discovered that different materials require different strategies for building and that a strategy may work with one type of material and not another. 

Adam and Joe work together to build a castle

The children are using recycled materials
to build homes for  the animals

Throughout this process the children also developed group cooperation and communication skills. They realized they needed to talk with the other children and share their ideas. Otherwise, everyone was doing something different.

The magnetic tiles offered a unique challenge to the children. If they built multiple levels on one side and not the other, the weight of the tiles caused their structure to fall. After a teacher encouraged them to build the second level all they way around, the children realized they could  successfully create a multi level structure.

Changing the building surface

Another challenge we have presented to the children is how to build on different surfaces. We placed blocks in the sand table and discovered the children simply moved the sand to the side to build or used the lip of the sandtable as a stable surface. In order to stretch their thinking, we brought in an incline plane and encouraged them to build with the ramp as their surface.

We began by using small, foam blocks  on the ramp. The children noticed that many of the blocks slid down the ramp. After trying to build in different places on the ramp, Violet and Rory realized the direction of the block was important to it staying in one place. Ahmad worked with Rory to build up once the base block was stable. 

Our next step will be to use small, wooden blocks on the ramp. Some questions we will be looking at with the children are: Will the wooden blocks provide the same challenges as the foam blocks on the ramp? Will the children use the same strategies with the wooden blocks and will their strategies work the same way?