In Reception over the past week, children have been extending their own learning by representing buildings in their play. Children have used all sorts of building material from magnetic tiles to wooden blocks, to marble runs and even string.
The structures have varied in height, length and width, with different levels and elements. There were hotels and swimming pools, car parks and houses! As children have been building these structures, they have been collaborating with each other and sharing not only their ideas, but personal experiences from their trips in Chinese New Year. We even had Singapore Zoo! As each brick and tile was laid, children had firsthand experiences of shape, spatial awareness as well as gravity, force, and balance.
The children in Reception extended their learning further by writing very important notices such as ‘Do not tidy!’ and ‘Do not touch!’ applying their phonics in a meaningful context. This meant the children could also revisit their learning throughout the week, making moderations and extending their builds. As the week progressed, Reception children identified that many buildings have a ‘name’ or ‘label’ like hotels such as The Intercontinental. Children then set to work to label their own creations applying their phonics in a new way. The models on display were labelled ‘The butterfly hotel!’, ‘The paw patrol boat’, and other things such as ‘It is a swimming pool. Splash Splash Splash’
Who knew building blocks could inspire so much learning? The children in Reception did!
By Carys Obayoriade
Reception Whales Class Teacher
Storytelling is at the heart of everything we do, and it extends far beyond literacy. It is transdisciplinary, meaning children naturally integrate their knowledge of phonics into storytelling, create maths stories, and weave in elements of science, curiosity, and their understanding of the world.
This term, Year 2 have been learning about many interesting people in our ‘What makes someone inspirational?' Topic. They have explored space pioneers, technology forerunners, civil right activists, inventors and many other inspiring individuals.
Edarabia had the opportunity to interview Joanne Prabhu, the Principal of The British School of Beijing, Sanlitun. Joanne is passionate about providing students with a world-class education that prepares them for success in the 21st century. In this interview, Joanne shares her insights on the school's plans for the future, the importance of student wellbeing, and the challenges facing education in the coming years.
