Study Starter Final Project

ECE 140 Early Childhood Curriculum Planning

Gina Brower
Fall 2017
Introduction
Project approach is about how you investigate a topic that is interesting. The Phase I is to explore a
topic that is worth to make a project. The Phase II is when they start investigating the topic with
using field sites and other materials. The Phase III is to conclude the project by building what they
know about the topic and showing the documentation of the knowledge, the children gained b doing
this project.

This study is about construction of a house or other buildings. They will be able to apply to content
areas within this study. It can also be use within the standards. The children will have opportunities
to construct different structures.

Comments:
Letters to Families

Dear Families,

Next week the children will be starting a study about construction and how
structures are built. The have been curious about many different aspects about
buildings.

I was wondering if would I get a parent that may know a lot about construction and
have them present some items to the children next week also. I also have a field
site lined up for them to go and see what a construction site would like and observe
what they do during the day.

Thanks.
Gina Brower
Phase I- Begin the Study

Materials to explore
Classroom Set-up
Questions/Prompts to Stimulate
Discussion
Anticipatory Webs
KWL Chart
Pause and Reflect
Materials to Explore
Fork lift
Skid loader
Blocks
PVC pipes
Marbles
Cups
Wooden sticks
Many different types of blocks
Classroom Set-Up
When doing this study, I would put different materials in the dramatic play such as put hard hats,
caution tape, orange vests, tool belt, sandpaper, Blueprints, play money, thin pieces of rubber
tubing, and as have books of construction. The other location I would do would be changing or
adding props would the block area. I could change the amount of area that the children could build
on. I would also add different materials such as different PVC pipes and different items to make
ramps and buildings.
Questions/Prompts to Stimulate Discussion
Where do they put the windows?
How do they get started?
How long does it take to build a house?
How many people does it take to build a house or building?
What type of materials does it take to build a building or a house?
What type of machines take to build a house?
Where does the materials come from?
How do you get the materials from the store to the building site?
Is there a boss that helps build the buildings?

Comments:
Idea Webs

time
Transportation

Placement
Machines

Construction

People

Materials
Shingles

Comments:
 Content Web
Sensory table
Making tire filled with
tracks with dirt using
vehicles scopps Toothpick
Making Bridges
blueprints with
Legos Pool Noodle
Marble run
Science
Painting with
Nuts and Art
Bolts Making
blueprints

Making
Maps
Social
Construction
Studies
Mathematics
Building
roads

Technology Construction
Computer Bingo
Literacy
systems

Alphabet Rocks
Simple Construction
Sorting Machines Site
Construction
Matching Letters for
materials
construction tools
KWL Chart

What you Know What you want to What you Learned

know
Skid loader move Making Blueprints
materials
Tools are used to Are there special
build a house tools
People live in the Do they live in the
house when it is right away
done
They just use wood Where does the
to build the house wood when building
the house
Pause and Reflect
This allows teacher to decide if this topic is worthy of becoming a long-term study with
this particular group of children.

Comments:
 Phase II- Investigate the Topic
Weekly planning form
Enhancements to interest areas
Investigation
Revisit Webs & KWL Charts for Further Questions to
Investigate
 Weekly Planning Form
Study Topic: Construction Week of:

What will happen next? How will the children How does this link to the
represent their learning? objectives and standards?
Small Group By experimenting with Yes
magnets
Enhancements to Interest Areas

Interest Areas Materials for Your Ideas

Exploration
Blocks: Ramps and Pathways
Wooden blocks, Foam, Lego, Brisiel, Hallow, Natural,
Marbles, People, Vehicles, Pipes, and Ramps

Dramatic Play: Construction

Hard Hats, Orange Vests, Blueprints, Tool
Belts, Hammer, Nails, Screws, Drill, and Signs
Toys & Games: Stacking cups on Popsicle sticks
Tool puzzles, Matching of tools, Simple
machines, Small model homes and magnetics
Art:
Vehicles, cardboard, Paper, Paint, paper towel
rolls, tape, monument pictures, rulers, pencils,
markers, scissors, Legos, and graph paper
Discovery:
Wood, nails, hammers, sheet rock, mud, copper
wiring, light switch, foam, rocks, wrenches,
nuts, bolts, and screw drivers
Sand and Water:
Rocks, mud, shredded paper, nuts, bolts,
Vehicles such as skid loaders, cranes, forklift,
excavator, dump truck, bulldozer, Shovels,
Backhoe, Cherry picker, and ect.
Music & Movement:
Songs, and movement cards
Cooking:
Marshmallows, toothpicks, pretzels, fruit, jello
molds, carrots, and crackers
Outdoors:
Tapes, Vehicles (dump truck, backhoe, shovels,
cherry picker), tape,
Investigation I

Questions: Where does the materials come from to build a house?

Materials:

Receipts
Trees
Paint
Sheetrock
Faucets

Where this Might take Place: Lumberyard

What to Do:

1. I would set out the materials in the dramatic play or during small group
2. I would have them experiment with the sheetrock and the facets with screwdrivers

Document Findings: I would have them build buildings they are curious about with
cardboard, tape and scissors.

Learning Goals or Content Standards Addressed: cutting, fine motor skills

Additional Investigations:
Investigation II

Questions: How long does it take to build a house?

Materials: blueprints, instructions, prices, time span

Where this Might take Place: house site

What to Do:

Have them observe the construction workers

Start the building

Have them observe the steps in the middle of the building process

Document Findings: Draw what they see

Learning Goals or Content Standards Addressed: Learning by doing

Additional Investigations:
Investigation III

Questions: How many people does it take to build a house?

Materials: pictures, books, instructions

Where this Might take Place: constructions site

What to Do: observe how many people are there. They will count how many people
are there. Ask if anybody is missing.

Document Findings: They will draw a picture of what they see.

Learning Goals or Content Standards Addressed: Fine motor skills

Additional Investigations:
Revisit Webs & KWL Chart for further questions to
investigate:

How were the constructions workers supposed to work?

Comments:
Phase III- Celebrate Learning
Debrief
Plan Culminating Event
Review/Evaluate Project
 Debrief with Children:
What was your favorite part of your study?

What was your favorite machine that the construction workers used?

Comments:
Celebrate Learning/Classroom Event Ideas
Traveling Classroom Book
o The children will create a book sharing
Review/Evaluate Project:
What were the most engaging parts of this study?

Did you discover any new topics that might worthy of investigation?

If you could change any part of the study, what would it be?

Do you have other thoughts and ideas?

Resources:

Childrens Books:

Bibliography
Alexander, L. (2014). Backhoe Joe.

Buzzeo, T. (2015). Whose Tools?

Fleming, C. (2015). Bulldozer's Big Day.

Pallotta, J. (2006). The Construction Alphabet. Charlesbridge Publishing.

Teacher Resources & Websites: