Construction Unit in Pre-Kindergarten

During their construction unit, Tyler McIlwraith’s pre-kindergarten students learned how to safely use different types of tools, like a hammer, a saw, and a hand-cranked screwdriver. 

Students used their newfound knowledge to make the first letter of their name out of wood pieces they cut and used nails and rubberbands to “write” their name. 

The little construction workers also worked together to make a buddy bench with the help of a parent volunteer. 

The idea for a buddy bench came from students telling McIlwraith that sometimes they didn’t know who to play with on the playground. Once completed, the buddy bench will be placed outside in the ECC playground. When a student needs a friend to play with, they will sit on the bench to signal others to invite them to join in.

McIlwraith’s class is finishing writing a book about how to use the buddy bench and why they thought it was important, which they will distribute to other classes in the ECC.