​September 11th, 2017

​We Built This City

After a busy couple weeks of getting acclimated with the new school year, we have started to establish a classroom dynamic that lends to much fun and growth! Over the past couple of weeks, the first graders have been working hard as a team on communication and collaboration with their peers.

In the first week, as a class, we created classroom guidelines to help keep us on track to have a safe, positive classroom environment. They agreed that it is important to help classmates and to always be a good friend. The students articulated, if you listen and share everyday, that we can have a happy and healthy environment where everyone can learn to express themselves and be unique!

Once the guidelines were set, the first graders worked on a community building activity where they were only given two materials: unifix cubes and popsicle sticks. With the emphasis on effective communication and collaboration, the only directions given were that they had to use both materials and create either the longest or tallest structure possible.

It was absolutely amazing to see the students in action! They immediately started working together to devise a plan. All 11 students discussed their plans and were very enthusiastic throughout the entirety of the exploration. While there were a couple students that worked independently at first, they added their structures to the “First Grade City” that evolved – all by the students’ design. It is clear that a supportive group dynamic has been established and through their cohesive vision and effective communication, they went above and beyond the lesson by creating a “city” that included everyone’s biggest and longest structures! A++!