For Educators
We are the champions of play.
Play isn’t killing time. It’s creating character.
Everything we want from our children is already in them. And play is how they unlock it.
Homes Around the World
Around the world people have different access to tools, availability of materials and endure a variety of types of climates.
Students will learn about different types of houses there are in the world. They will learn what materials are used and why they use these materials. With this knowledge students will write about their house and build a 3-D model of it.
Creating Characterization
In this lesson, students will demonstrate their understanding of characters, setting, and plot by developing their own animal story with a main character, setting, and plot.
Students will demonstrate their understanding of overall story structure by telling an animal story that includes a beginning, middle, and end.
Building an Array of Houses
In this lesson, the classroom will create a neighborhood of houses. In order to visualize math concepts, students will practice using arrays and their corresponding repeated addition equations to create a house displaying at least three arrays.
Modern Maypoles
Weaving is always a popular art activity for students learning about patterns, but young artists often struggle with the alternating pattern of over/under required to be successful.
In this lesson, students will learn about Maypoles and participate in a Maypole Dance. To weave the Maypole, the same over/under pattern that is used in traditional weaving is employed.
Building Stability Challenge
Students will be engaged in a design process that involves imagining and being inspired, asking questions, researching, planning, creating, and improving their models.
This process supports students’ ability to apply important concepts and gain skills in design thinking and making; engineering and physical science.
Playful 3D Rainforest Animals
Let’s be artists and scientists as we research and explore rainforest animals!
Interdisciplinary Art Lesson with a Connection to ELA Rainforest Unit in Grade 5
Children will discover animals of the rainforest through playful construction using 3 dimensional materials. This lesson connects directly to the Grade 5 ELA curriculum, in which students will research biodiversity in the rainforest and respond to their learning through writing prompts. However, the ELA connection does not need to be incorporated to complete this lesson. Children could instead research and choose a rainforest animal as the inspiration for their 3D animal form.
Writing Roulette
Engage students in a collaborative and creative writing process that builds stamina and reinforces craft. Taking turns, three pairs of students will respond to a story starter. Each pair has a role in the creation of a common group narrative.
This lesson targets story elements and structure, but Writing Roulette can be used for expository or opinion writing as well.
Different Experiences, Different Perspectives
This lesson/activity explores what shapes a child’s identity. It provides children a vehicle to examine how they see themselves, how they see others, and how others may see them. It touches upon the themes of awareness, perspective, equality, empathy, the shared experiences that can help build a community, and the individual experiences that make us unique.
What a Wall!
Fort Adams was built in 1799 in Newport, Rhode Island by the United States Navy to protect Narragansett Bay. In this lesson inspired by the Coming to Rhode Island exhibit, students will become masons and explore how to build Fort Adams. This challenge encourages students to explore how important materials, design, and testing are to the process of building a strong structure.
Journaling the Journey
In this lesson inspired by the Coming to Rhode Island exhibit at the Providence Children’s Museum, students will write a journal entry about immigrating to America, and more specifically, Rhode Island. This lesson encourages students to explore the immigration journey of others, including why people chose to come to America, how people came to America, and the challenges people face in getting to America. Students will also have the opportunity to share and connect to their own families’ immigration story.