 | In Joanne's class Ori, Ronny, and Ichi are drawing a map for their hot wheels cars and acting out the story at the same time. |  | Betsy's class invited a neighbor to come to their class with his dirt bike. The children from both classrooms asked questions about the vehicle and took turns trying out the safety equipment and sitting on the seat. |
Betsy's students had a stronger interest in vehicles, which led to numerous field trips; classroom visits and visits to the school from a fire truck, moving van, mail truck and UPS truck. When it made sense the classrooms participated together.
At the same time in both classrooms children were building elaborate constructions in the block area. The focus was slightly different, parking lots and car washes in Betsy's class, and hot wheel castles and raceways in Joanne's. We both believe firmly in the power of play and make a sixty minute choice time a daily priority. In depth study topics typically last several months, some carry on for the full year. We are always observing the children, they are observing each other, and we are all looking at the work. As a result there is a certain respectful environment where the children develop strong relationships, and easily share ideas as they work over long periods of time.
 | Ivan, Boalvi and Tavensky created this "Hot Wheels Castle" in the classroom block area. The boys are engaged with each other, their hot wheels, and their block building. The power of the idea encourages their collaboration. |  | "This is a story about sharks and a boat. Ronny is the driver. We had to stop to make maps so we wouldn't get lost." Ichi (age 5) |
At the same time in both classrooms children were building elaborate constructions in the block area. The focus was slightly different, parking lots and car washes in Betsy's class, and hot wheel castles and raceways in Joanne's. We both believe firmly in the power of play and make a sixty minute choice time a daily priority. In depth study topics typically last several months, some carry on for the full year. We are always observing the children, they are observing each other, and we are all looking at the work. As a result there is a certain respectful environment where the children develop strong relationships, and easily share ideas as they work over long periods of time. Betsy added black construction paper roads to the block area in her classroom to offer possible new experiences for the children. The roads would make concrete connections between the buildings, and lead the children to play together with bigger, more complex ideas.
Joanne saw the idea of the roads as a perfect way to encourage mapping in her block area. Her children had been drawing their own maps, now with the roads they could physically construct a map. The children were translating two-dimensional work into three dimensions using paper and markers, and blocks with paper roads. Every time a child moves from one medium to another their understanding of the topic is necessarily increased (Rinaldi, 2003). This same skill is used in both math and writing when children translate the concept of letter and number to the written symbol.