The Target Project The Leapfrogs (3-5) Lanni Smith Andromahi Harrison Kara Ellenberg April 2012

Why Target? The children were very interested in the aspect of money. It started out by investigating the way money looked and then sketching it. Once the children made their own money, they wanted to use it in a store. Since the children’s work was so phenomenal, I made photo copies of some of their money work. From this the children were curious about real money. This is when we brought play money into our classroom. It did not take long for our family living area to turn into a store. The children were buying and selling instantly and the Target project sky rocketed from there.

Making money

Exploring play money

Connections Brayden (5.0) is building the Target store with blocks. He says, “this is the counter you check out at. Like it moves when you put your stuff on it”. When discussing how the items in Target get there Keegan (4.11) says, “milk comes in a truck, because at school our milk comes in a truck”. When children buy an item at our Target store, Nolan asks for their phone number, “Can I have your phone number?” Nolan (5.7) types the number into the cash register. When asked “why did you need my phone number”, Nolan says, “that is what we do at target.” When Drake and mom were shopping, Drake noticed the bar codes on all of the items bought. When selling bags during outside play Claire said “I have to scan them first so I know how much to charge you”.

Knowledge Web

Personal Stories On the left is Lydia (4.6) who draws a birthday bag and present in her journal. She tells Lanni, “I went to Target to buy a present once.” On the right is

What happens before the boxes are put in the truck? (4/12/12) At group we have been talking about how the merchandise gets into Target. We came to the conclusion that the items come in trucks. Then the question, how does it get in the trucks, came up. We then encouraged the children to journal their ideas. We asked them to predict how they think the boxes get into the truck.

Claire Keegan Drake Brayden

Cole Eamon Nolan

Wallets During a conversation two children were having at the table, a child brought up the fact that their mom’s money fits in a wallet. Claire agreed her mom’s did the same! “You can buy wallets at Target! We can’t go to Target without money! You need a wallet for your money!” During the next two days, the children spent time investigating Mahi’s wallet and the items in it to create their own wallets.

Nolan’s Work Nolan (5. 7) watches a video with a friend about how items are shipped to stores. Nolan watches the video and then brings his journal to sketch what he saw in the video. Right: The center with a bin and the package. The guy is the man who toured us in the video of the plant. Left: His sketch includes: two barcodes, his inventive spelling for barcode, and the number 20.

Sketches after a visit Over the course of a weekend, several families went to Target. The children came back to share what they had learned through dictations and sketches. Left: Terryn (4.8) sketches a cart. He tells his friends, “The carts are plastic and red. They look like this (indicating the metal cart he is sketching from) but plastic. Middle: Eamon (5. 6) writes with inventive spelling and help from teachers about his trip. Right: Cole (5.6) makes a cart, Target symbol, Target Store, Target Dog, and a shelf with items on it.

Receipts Claire (4.11) looks at the Target receipts that are sitting on the table. She cuts a piece of paper to the same size of the receipt she is investigating. She then begins to copy words and items from the list. She shares, “Target is on all the receipts. You need to know it’s not from Hy-vee or something. This person bought a lot of things so there were a lot of barcodes.”

Gift Cards Cole (5.6) watches as other friends sketch the Target gift cards on the table. He then begins to create his own. When he is done, he explains that the front shows all the gifts you can get and the back has the bar code to get all the gifts.

Claire (4.11) joins the table where Katie Sexton, a St. Ambrose University Practicum Student, is leading a lesson. She explains to Katie what a gift card is used for. She asks Katie if she had money on it and Katie tells her she did. “What happens is first you have a lot of money on it. Then you use it and you don’t have any money on it again. Or you can add some.” She then sketches and documents the words from the gift card which is labeled, new baby.

Keegan (4.11) observes friends who are sketching at the table. He begins by tracing the cards. He then adds details to the card including a bar code.

Brayden’s Work Brayden (5.0) creates a shelf with model magic. When it begins to tip over, Madison suggest he sues felt underneath. He re-creates his shelf. He then begins to create balls. He tells Lindsay, “this is a ball shelf.” He then takes one off again. “Someone bought this one.” He tries to remember the word for what is happening. Lindsay offers the word, “restocking”. “Yes! They have to restock the shelves when the balls get buyed.”

Claire’s Work Claire (4.11) makes a screen and keyboard out of model magic and folders. She does this after being asked what she remembers from her visit to Target. She makes the keyboard first and writes all the letters in the alphabet on it. Then she makes the screen and was trying to find a way to make it stand up right. She decided tape was the best choice.