Students in Mrs. Sue Jozwiak’s and Mrs. Monika Atkinson’s  classrooms participated in an Architectural Gallery Walk in Room 109.  Miss Sue’s students just completed a month long study of buildings. Students in Pani Monika’s classroom were in the beginning stages of their study.  

    Students in Miss Sue’s room learned about and discussed features of buildings and materials used to construct buildings.  They investigated the ELC and neighborhood buildings and discussed the things that happen inside a variety of buildings (stores, libraries, fire stations, restaurants, and more).  Students were exposed to a variety of building materials to construct buildings, including wood, styrofoam, sand, toothpicks and marshmallows, Lincoln logs and cups. Families donated building supplies as well, including shoe boxes, cardboard tubes, cereal boxes, which students used to construct skyscrapers.  Students drew blueprints and made plans for their structures. Miss Sue’s students invited Pani Monika’s class to an Architectural Gallery Walk as their culminating activity to share what they learned. Students made tickets and organized the event. Miss Sue’s students proudly shared their buildings with Pani Monika’s students.  “It was great to see the kids gain confidence in talking to others about what they created,” said Miss Sue. As Pani Monika’s students walked the Gallery they engaged in asking questions about the buildings and also were able to crawl through one of the structures Miss Sue’s students created.

    According to Pani Monika, “My students were very excited to go to the Gallery Walk to see their friends buildings and it gave my students inspiration for constructing their own buildings.”  It gave students a chance to practice many important skills such as presenting, listening and following directions.”