Constructivist Unit Lindsey White ~ Kindergarten EDUC 650 How to Build a Tower Constructivist Unit Lindsey White ~ Kindergarten EDUC 650

Objectives The students will work in pairs to build a tower. The students will draw and write in a sequence. The students will find similarities and differences between the two towers.

INTASC Teaching Standards #1 Teachers know the subjects they are teaching #2 Teachers know how children grow #3 Teachers understand that children learn differently #4 Teachers know how to teach

Subject Area Math – Math manipulatives will be used to form a tower. Students will also use key terms: height, taller, shorter, cube, cone, cylinder Art – Students will illustrate a picture of their tower using crayons, markers, pencils, etc. Fine motor – Drawing and writing. Gross motor – Building a tower with blocks.

6 Language Arts Areas Reading: students will read steps to building a tower. Writing: students will write about the towers that they are comparing. Listening: students will listen to others share similarities and differences of towers. Visuals: students will construct and draw a picture of the tower that they are building. Speaking: students will verbalize how their tower has built using sequence words. Viewing: students will view towers built by other groups.

Materials Building blocks, snap cubes, rocks, tree blocks, etc. Writing and drawing paper Pencils, markers and/or crayons Materials for creating anchor charts Camera to document towers

Lesson ~ Day 1 Students will be introduced to building UP with their building blocks. Allow student groups of two time to use/experiment building with the blocks. (encourage the use of descriptive words, vocabulary: tower) Conduct a whole group discussion: Ask: What is a tower? What kinds of towers are there? How do we build a strong tower? Record student responses to questions on an anchor chart featuring the question and pictures. While discussing, show students pictures of towers from around the world.

Lesson ~ Day 2 Review anchor charts briefly before starting the lesson. Introduce sequencing words: first, then, next, finally. Distribute paper and pencils, asking students to draw four boxes on the paper. Student pairs will work together to draw a sequenced picture of how they built their tower. Students will use picture drawings first and add words later. Students will be reminded to think about details while they are drawing their pictures. (ex: one partner draws while the other partner describes) Students will share their pictures with the class.

Lesson ~ Day 3 Allow student pairs to review their drawings from the previous day and see if they can recreate their tower. After students have completed their towers, review sequencing words. (first, then, next, finally) Students will then be given paper with boxes and lines for writing. Students will work together to draw and write about the building process of their tower. (ex: First, we put four big cubes on top. Then, we put two small cubes on top. Next, we put three yellow cubes on top. Finally, we put a cone on top. The students will share their sequencing story with the class as they show their tower.

Assessment Students will be able to put their building sequence pictures in order. Students will know what is needed to build a strong tower. Students will experience writing in a sequence. Students will observe and compare towers of other groups to the tower that they built. Students will be able to use descriptive, positional words when participating in discussion.

Instructional Activity Qualities Constructivist Elements: 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 9, 10, 11, 12, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 25, 27, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 38, 39, 40, 41