Ships and boats, boats and ships!

Since early in the school year, the block environment has been home to the fantastical building of ships. Children have constructed these vessels, drawing on their depth of knowledge and engaging their imaginations. This work is both individual and within small groups. In response to their efforts we have added a variety of loose parts to the space, projected images of real ships and supplied non fiction and fictional books for the children to continue researching.

These vessels move.  They make their way across the carpet and then travel well beyond!  They navigate the landscape of the studio, maneuvering around and through furniture, accidental paint splots and bystanders.  They facilitate connection with others as they deliver necessary items,  find lost objects or simply say, “Hello!”  They are powerful and have a strong presence within our space.

In play, children are learning content and as well as process. They are learning all about ships, extending and challenging their own understandings of boats and the settings in which they reside. They are also learning all about what it means to do research in collaboration with others. They are learning about their own learning process. What do I already know? How do I share my ideas with others? How do I disagree with or add onto someone's idea? How do I share the tools and materials we are using to communicate our thinking?