Teacher: Ms.

Norvell Unit Title: Building Structures Grade: Kindergarten

Curricular Connections
Big Ideas Essential Questions
What will students remember long after the unit is over? (enduring understandings) What driving questions will frame the learning? (open-ended; connected to Big Ideas)

Applied Design, Skills and Technologies: What are key elements of a building?
*Designs grow out of a natural curiosity. What elements and materials are best to use?
ndUndersta

What building structures are found in your

Social Studies: community?
*Our Communities are diverse and made of individuals
who have a lot in common.

Mathematics:
*Objects have attributes that can be described,
measured, and compared.
Core Competencies
Which core competency or competencies will be focused on in this unit?
Communication Creative Thinking Critical Thinking Positive Personal and Cultural Identity Personal Awareness and Responsibility Social Responsibility

Curricular Competencies
Which process skills will students be applying in order to learn the content? List only those that will be assessed.

Applied Design, Skills, and Technologies:

*Choose tools and materials
Do

*Make a product using known procedures or through modelling of others

Social Studies:
*Use social studies inquiry processes and skills to ask questions; gather, interpret, and analyze ideas and
communicate findings and decisions

Mathematics:
*Model mathematics in contextualized experiences
*Develop, demonstrate, and apply mathematical understanding through play, inquiry, and problem solving
*Communicate mathematical thinking in many ways
Content
What knowledge will students learn and be assessed on?
Know

Social Studies:
*Needs and wants of individuals and families – e.i. shelter

Assessment
AS Learning FOR Learning

Formative
How will information be gathered about what students already know (i.e., pre-assessment/accessing prior knowledge)? What strategies will be used to evaluate student learning
and adjust teaching? Where will students have the opportunity to share their understanding in order to receive feedback, revise and improve?

Brainstorming chart – Key vocabulary known – information gathered and observed through book discussion and
Reflective
What opportunities will there be for students to reflect on their thinking and feelings as part of their learning? (e.g., self/peer evaluations, partner talk, goal setting, journaling,
etc.)

Wonder wall; think, pair, share; I used to think … now I think; see, think, wonder; think, puzzle, explore; imagine

Learning Services, SD #40 DRAFT L Kim, J Angiola

Teacher: Ms. Norvell Unit Title: Building Structures Grade: Kindergarten

OF Learning Summative
How will students demonstrate their understanding of the curricular connections listed above (e.g., performance task, project, portfolio, test, etc.)? How will the assessment
criteria be communicated to or created with students?

Building Structure Creations – Final Project (12 by 12-inch mat provided to students to build their structures on)

Unit At a Glance
-Brainstorm – key words and structures found related to building structures (i.e. walls,
Planning Essentials:
windows, doors, ceiling, floors, wood, stone etc.) – this is built upon as we go through the
 Extensions and
adaptations inquiry unit – this sets the stage for understanding what my students currently know on the
 Aligns with subject
assessment --Wonder wall – Used to assist in the direction of the inquiry project
 Timelines -Read books about Building Structures, jobs that build structures etc. – have discussions on the
Learning Opportunities:
types of job; materials used; what do you usually find on a structure; jobs are related to
 Cross-curricular building structures etc.
connections -Pictures about different types of buildings and from around the world – What do you think
 Aboriginal these are for? What are the similarities? What are the differences? Could they be used for the
perspectives same thing? Why do we have buildings? (including traditional Aboriginal buildings)
 Inquiry
 Technology
-Small group picture sort – students work together to group the buildings in different ways
 Place-based, -Students create a structure using different shapes (group creation – each student adds one
community learning piece) and then we count how many shapes there are in total
 Sustainability and -Building Materials centres / play-based/ exploration-based activities:
environmental  Each table focuses on different shapes – make a structure out of one shape – inquiry
awareness
 Visual literacy questions to follow – discussion with students (questions examples: Can you make a
tower of three blocks out of sphere/circles? What happens when you make materials
Other Considerations: out of this shape?) – make a prediction on which shapes is best before starting an
 Differentiated activity (make a bar graph with chart paper, give students sticky notes and they place
learning
them on the chart that matches what they think will be best) – make a graph of
 Student grouping
 Student voice and estimations on which is best – discuss why students selected a certain shape etc.
choice  Center activities – read this book first The Three Little Pigs - use of different materials
 Anxiety to create structures - what is sturdier, which will last longer etc. – make a prediction
on which material is best (another bar graph with sticky notes) - make a graph of
estimations on which is best – discuss why students selected a certain shape etc.
 Recreate a real structure following a picture – Can you make it? (i.e. Eiffel Tower,
Vancouver Art Gallery, skyscraper, etc) – students use different materials
 Skyline artwork – students get photo of different skyline – students use different
shape stamps to create the skyline.
 Tangrams – students recreate 2D pictures with the tangrams
-Community Circle and Journal – What type of homes do you live in? What does your home
look like? Why do you have a home? – Draw your home
-Toothpick and marshmallow building structures
-Building Structure Creations – Final Project
 Structure Building Drawings – Architectural plans ideas – labelling – allow and focus on
multiple drafts (focus on students become architects/engineers)
 Slowly work towards creating their building structures (focus on students being
engineers/contractors/construction workers)
 Measuring Structures – I want to connect the activity to measurements unit that
would have already been done before this
 What shapes can you find in your creation – total number of shapes found
This inquiry unit focuses on a variety of different activities that students can engage and
participate in. Some activities will be full exploration that will allow students to experiment
with the materials and ideas of building at their own pace while others will focus on

Learning Services, SD #40 DRAFT L Kim, J Angiola

Teacher: Ms. Norvell Unit Title: Building Structures Grade: Kindergarten

experiments that allow students to develop their own questions and answers. There will be
some teacher-led direction instruction where I scaffold the students learning and direct it
towards the curriculum, but I am taking inspiration from my students’ interests. The final
project will be open-ended but will some structure; however, students will have the freedom
to create whatever they would like.

Resources
- Children’s books about Buildings https://www.buzzfeed.com/mackenziekruvant/childrens-books-for-
architects; https://www.fatherly.com/play/9-books-that-will-inspire-your-kid-to-dream-design-and-build-like-
an-architect/; https://childhood101.com/story-inspired-nature-play-fort-building/
- Mix of materials students can use to create structures with – toothpicks, marshmallows, building blocks,
blankets, pillows, cardboard, lego, plastic cups, etc.
- Inspiration: http://wondersinkindergarten.blogspot.com/2015/02/an-inquiry-on-towers-building-on.html;
http://mrsmyerskindergarten.blogspot.com/2014/06/the-end-of-school-year-2013-2014.html
- YouTube videos about different types of building structures
- Books and YouTube videos about different buildings around the world

Learning Services, SD #40 DRAFT L Kim, J Angiola