Our Creative World School Curriculum Contest is always an amazing opportunity for our teachers to share all the exciting things happening in their classrooms. The love, passion, and time that the teachers put into lesson planning and engagement with their young students just shows how much they are doing for early learning education industry. We want to show off our April 2019 curriculum contest winners, the Chimps VPK Classroom at CW Rivercrest, and how the teachers took the class on a journey through our monthly theme, Build it Up. Take a look at how excited the children were to explore and learn all about bridges.
It is important to start with what our students already know about the subject, so the children are sharing what they know about building. Our teachers integrated literacy with this activity, how cool is that? They are writing words that are associated with building.
In our VPK class, the children experience field studies. This is when the school invites an expert to come share about the topic, this field study is about buildings and all what needs to happen to be safe before, during, and after.
During the beginning of the month the children decide what their main focus will be. This is where use our social studies skills and practice voting. The children are given the opportunity to vote for the topic that they would like to learn more about. After voting, the Chimps class has decided that they will focus on BRIDGES!
Now begins the discussion about all the things the students already know about the bridges and anything that has to do with bridges. One of their focuses was what do they see on a bridges. While this discussion was going on, the teachers shared the different way bridges are used. For example some bridges are used for walking, driving, and viewing.
One of the things we value so much is our relationship with all of our families. This VPK class has bridged (see what I did there) the classroom conversation and home conversation. The students selected a structure and were given three weeks to work along with their family to build. Here is just a few of the finished products. A huge shout out to all the families that engaged in this classroom home connection project!
This is a museum 
This is a doctor’s office
This is a grocery store
The Chimps VPK class brings the learning outside as well. The children work together to see what kind of bridges they can build outside. Collaborative work allows the children to understand the importance of teamwork and how it helps to be successful.
A Beam Bridge 
A Suspension Bridge
Working together to make a bridge
As the Chimps VPK class wraps up the learning of bridges. Their final experience includes building their very own bridges with a variety of materials. They have read books collectively to figure out what type to build and they have used technology to research the best way to construct the bridge. The children come together to finally construct the various bridges.
At the end of every month all of our classes have a showcase to share what they have learned. This class decided to invite the families to join in again on the building fun. All families were invited to come into class and help their child construct a bridge that he or she has learned about. The children are so proud to share with their families all of the amazing things they have learned about BRIDGES!!!
CONGRATULATIONS Chimps VPK Classroom of CW Rivercrest and teachers Octavia Sturupp and Cindy Perdomo for winning the Curriculum contest for their great inquiry on Bridges!