Power of Play
1/18/2020
If you look at the picture above, you might notice some kids deeply engrossed in playing with legos. While this would be true, there are also a multitude of other things occurring that aren't as apparent at first glance. Renowned psychologist Jean Piaget notes, “Play is the work of childhood.” and Mr. Rogers elaborates on this statement by saying “Play is often talked about as if it were a relief from serious learning. But for children, play is serious learning.” In a school setting, there needs to be a balance of both play and serious learning, across all grade levels. When we structure our teaching to include an element of play, even in higher grades, children are learning as well as having fun. They are working with materials that are familiar and intuitive for them which helps them to concentrate on the new information being taught. Different types of play also incorporates multiple learning modes (auditory, visual, kinesthetic) which can also help children retain concepts. This specific activity was actually a science lesson on the very basics of matter, intended to visually show kids how a group of small objects can be assembled and then re-assembled into a completely different object. This is the basis to begin to understand the somewhat abstract concept of how and why matter changes. Were students having fun "playing" with the legos? Of course they were! They were also using problem solving, critical thinking, reasoning and reading skills, as well as exercising fine motor skills. When they combined into groups to create their new objects, they had to collaborate and communicate with their group members.
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Marcella HitchcockMs. Hitchcock teaches second grade, is a mom of two, an avid reader, lifelong learner, and a seeker of sunshine! Archives
March 2021
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