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When my students enter the classroom first thing in the morning, they are presented with different baskets of materials. I stumbled upon an amazing set of constructing supplies made from nuts, bolts, screws and a few other supplies. The students use the pieces to construct an object. There is a picture provided on box for students to look at if they choose to use it as a guide. If not, they are encouraged to use their imaginations. This has been a part of my redesign process, and so far it has turned out amazing! I have had great compliments from my principal, office staff, and students. I will continue adding to this collection for my students this year and future years!

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Constructionism 1st grade math- Jess Clarke 

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Constructionism 1st grade math- Jess Clarke 

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In first grade we have a geometry standard of composing shapes out of 2 and 3 D shapes. Below is a picture of a beginning lesson for this standard. Students got triangles and they had the opportunity to try and make as many shapes as possible with their triangles. Without any parameters, I gave the triangles to the students and challenged them to see what they could build. Eventually students started discovering that you could make bigger shapes out of the smaller triangles. For example, hexagons, trapezoids, rhombuses, bigger triangles. They were able to construct this on their own without explicit instruction. Through play and hands-on experience, they made meaning of this on their own!

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One project that I really enjoy in my architecture class is our model house building lesson. Students select a style of home and create a model that includes all of the defining characteristics of that particular style. Students complete this assignment at home over the course of a couple weeks. The only thing that I give them is a foam base to build on. The part that I really enjoy about this project is that students are supposed to use common items found at home to create their model. This is to represent how the area that a structure is being built in will often dictate what materials are used and will also influence the style. It's always fun to see the different materials used on the models and I enjoy seeing each students interpretation of the different styles.
-Bronco Meeks

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I am a fan of discovery based learning and want to figure out the best way to implement this approach within my remote classroom. Usually, I have students create things using grid paper, but, due to being remote, I created an image of a parallelogram and how the formula is derived from moving the triangle on one side to make a rectangle. Students need to have the opportunity to ponder, question, and receive feedback. I am still figuring out ways to reach my students and have them see math in a different way. I know my students like hands on approaches, and I want to make math more meaningful instead of them just learning a formula and applying it towards a specific shape.

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For our music technology courses, we always make an example of what we ask first. So all of the projects we make students do, we either do them prior, or stay one step a head of the students and walk them through their project with our example. I wanted to show you my "Sounds Around You" project, as that I feel is a better example, but it apparently disappeared... That project we have the students go around and record natural sounds and upload them to Soundtrap. We then teach them how to edit and manipulate the sounds to create something closer to a melody or a beat. They then create a song from that. Because I cannot find that, I will show you a project that I am in the progress of creating. This is for our "Cover Song" Project. I have students get into groups (bands) and cover a song of their choice. It's easy to tell students to just do it, but it is super humbling to have to record yourself. I don't ever listen to my recordings, so having to listen to this over and over again to make sure it lines up and is presentable to my students was rough. I am currently showing them an approach that I like to use. I build on the foundation (drum beat). So, I recorded the drum set part, actually I used the beatmaker in Soundtrap because I have not actually played drum set in years. Then I added a bass line, then the guitar part. Editing each part a long the way to make sure it lines up and sounds good. Next step is vocals!

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Constructionism in my 4th Grade Classroom 

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Constructionism in my 4th Grade Classroom 

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Every year for and end of the year project we do an "Egg Drop" experiment. Students are given a surplus of supplies to build a sturdy enough container for their egg to not break when it is dropped from the roof of the school. They are encouraged to be creative and work as a team to make something to protect their egg. This project is something we as a 4th grade team always look forward to as it brings about another side of our students' creative mind!

Amy Starker

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Constructionism in First Grade - Brittney Mishler

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Constructionism in First Grade - Brittney Mishler

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This question made me reflect on one math lesson we did learning about 3D shapes.  To help students better understand the concept of 3D shapes, I had them create 3D shapes using toothpicks and marshmallows.  They were encouraged to try the experiment with a partner using 3D shape cards.  Since we have been using 3D shape cards and drawings of 3D shapes to learn the difference between 2D and 3D shapes, I knew this activity would really help my students who need extra support learning the concept.  I noticed my students learning from each other, saying "ah-ha" moments, identifying faces and vertices (which they struggled with before, naming shapes, etc.  This type of an activity really brought learning to life for my students.

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In the past I use to do this project with my students as a problem solving activity. My students would be assigned a task where they would have to build a small car to protect an egg. They would get a certain amount of days to build their cars, and then I would buy eggs to bring into the classroom. I had a ramp that would go from 1 foot, all the way up to an 8 foot straight drop. To get a passing grade on the project the students only had to make it to where the top of the ramp was at 4 feet. Then, every foot past that they would receive extra credit. Students learned from making and sharing ideas with others that they designed for their own car. I would then take time to talk about how real life auto manufactures do things similar to us.

-Sam Wurster

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In environmental science, I have my students build a city that is sustainable after they've researched all of these sustainable practices. They did work in groups on this, which was not what constructionism's practices, but students did have to build something in order to show their understanding. the picture below shows the group who's build was the best I had in the class, they really went all out for it!

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During freshmen English class, we read The Lord of the Flies. The students read about a group of young boys who are stranded on a deserted island and left to fend for themselves. They quickly discover their need for shelter. When we get to this point in the novel, I take my students outside and have them construct miniature shelters out of grass and sticks. Many students quickly realize what a challenging task this is as they struggle to create structures that can withstand the elements. This allows the students the opportunity to connect with the text, and understand the struggles the characters in the novel face.

Andrea While

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I created a found poem for this exercise and I don't regret one minute of it because my brain and stress really needed this moment to play and create something!! I was pleasantly surprised by te poem I came up with, too, which is always exciting! So, I cut out and glued texts from different pages to onion paper that I didn't love, so then I cut out the text from the paper and glued it to this violet printer paper. I like that the text stands out a bit more and has that fragmented look I love about Found Poetry. Then, I experimented with drawing using glue, and with more thought beforehand, I realize now that I could have drawn a type of picture (like the moon or something) to complement this piece, but I went for the non-objective look! I like the "broken" pieces of black. I've had students create Blackout poems working with one text on the page before and they always come up with amazing non-objective/abstract/realistic designs that are so impressive. I'm not so sure why I've never encouraged them to physically cut up multiple texts and rearrange and play with words and phrases. What I absolutely LOVED about this was that I cut up my favorite words and lines from different pages and then I got to play with rearranging them, cutting them down further, and adding/taking away. I know this can be done digitally, but there was something really enjoyable about moving the pieces and having fun with it. I ended up working on this poem for over an hour after school yesterday. It comes at a perfect time for National Poetry month, so I'm going to have my students create one of their own! I'm going to bring in magazines that they can also use for pops of color and to glue and paste images. :)

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Throughout the different levels of Spanish, a variety of novels are read to help students learn vocabulary, culture, historical events, and grammar. Students read different novels and are  in my practicing reading strategies that they are taught from level one  and continually are being built upon. In these readings, students are asked to comprehend and interpret the Spanish language. I try to "spice up" the reading days and make each different with group reads, reading as a class, individually, role playing, and drawing. This is where I am seeing constructionism in my classes, is with the drawing activities that come along with reading the novels. Below is an example of multiple students' drawing of different chapters of the novel Frida. Students are given a chapter to draw out the major points. This is then used to practice retelling  the story using the Spanish language. With the drawing this is assisting students to use novel vocabulary and sequence of events to retell the major points of the story.

Monica Lynch

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It took me a while to think of a way I use Constructionism in my class. And then I remembered that I do use Legos when we are learning the different types of historical and modern governments. I take in tubs of Legos and each student draws a card with a type written on it. They have to create an example to show the class and then we discuss what aspects of their creation tell that it is in fact that form of government.  It has been a year and a half since I last was able to do this but in my tub of Legos I still had two from the last time.  One is their interpretation of a Monarchy (obviously we discussed how it would look today) and the other is a representation of Democracy (hands raised to vote.
Constructionism is not something I do regularly in prepping adults for the GED test, but I would LOVE any suggestions on ways to use it in the Adult Education classroom.

Amy Rardin

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Okay so I know that I didn't technically make this but this year to introduce equations we did a virtual balancing thee hanger activity and I think it would be really cool to make it in real life. I just don't currently have the supplies at home or at school to do it. Students need to understand that equations need to stay balanced and you have to always do the same operation to both sides of the equation. In this balancing the hanger activity I would ask the students to determine which combination of shapes will allow them to balance the hanger. Then I will have them experiment with adding and subtracting shapes to the hanger and keeping it balanced. Eventually I would have them create their own balance model.

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Abby Primo
In the past, I have had students build/make DNA models using given materials from mini-model kits.  This allows them to take an abstract concept (such as DNA) and make it concrete in front of them.  The attached video shows this.  As I was making, it helped me realize how much a 3D model could help so many students to see "DNA" in front of them.

If you do not have fancy model kits available, pipe cleaners and puff balls (I don't know what they are actually called) work just as well.  A ruler in the middle could act as a stand.  I have had students do this in the past as well, and it has worked great.  Students really grasp the structure of DNA this way.

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For one project, I had the students make a skit to show mastery of decimal operations. The students had to create stuff they were going to use in their skit out of tangible materials. Many of them came up with the grocery store concept by making money and other materials they were gonna buy. Some made up games they were going to play with others, and they made the materials of the game.