STEM WITH BLOCK PLAY

Blocks provide hands-on experiences where children can develop math concepts as they play. Take a look at all these standards you can reinforce with blocks.

Sorting
Can they sort like blocks together? Can they regroup the blocks by another attribute?

Numerical Order
Write numerals 0-10 on 2 ½” x 5” pieces of paper and attach to blocks. Can they put the blocks in order?

Sets and Numerals
Write numerals, number words, and sets on blocks for children to match.




Roll and Stack
Children take one or two dice and roll. They select that number of blocks and stack them as tall as they can.

Counting
How many blocks can you stack? Can you count that high?

Math Signs
Write inequality signs, =, +, and – on pieces of paper and attach to blocks. Children can build equations and practice addition and subtraction with the numeral blocks and signs.




Liquid Measurement
Write “cup” on two square blocks. Write “pint” on a rectangular block. How many cups in a pint?

Fractions
What would happen if you cut the square block in half? What would happen if you cut the rectangular block in half? How many ways can you make the square block? Rectangular block?

Measure Up
Children lay on the floor as friends take unit blocks and measure how many blocks long they are. Use different size blocks and compare.

Graphing – Have children draw their faces on 2 ½”” squares. Tape to blocks. Use for comparing and graphing.

For example: You could have a picture of a bus, feet, and a car. Children place their block under the way they travel to school. Which one is more? Less? How can we tell for sure?


Block Book
Cut small shapes out of construction paper to represent the different unit blocks. Glue these to a file folder to make structures similar to the ones shown. Hole punch to create a book. Children look at the drawings and then try to duplicate them with blocks.

BLOCK BOOK AND PLAY DOUGH BOOK

These books are a perfect way to integrate literacy in practical ways in learning centers. Children will be engineers and mathematicians as they develop small motor skills and eye-hand coordination.


BLOCK BOOK
1. Cut small squares and rectangles similar to unit blocks out of construction paper.
2. Arrange on file folders to make structures similar to the ones shown.



3. Punch holes and bind together to make a book.
4. Place in the block center and challenge children to look at the designs and then make them with the blocks.
5. Can they look at the design and then turn it over and make it without looking?


PLAY DOUGH BOOK
1. Write “Can you make lines?” at the top of one folder.
Make lines similar to the one shown.

2. Draw curves on another folder and write “Can you make curves?” at the top.

3. Make shapes (square, rectangle, circle, triangle) on another folder and write “Can you make shapes?”

4. Draw simple objects (nest and eggs, hotdogs, bunny, etc.) on the last folder and write “What else can you make?”

5. Punch holes in the folders and attach with book rings.

6. Place the book in a center with play dough and challenge the children to roll the dough and place it on top of the lines and shapes.

ENGINEERS

Engineering is the design process used to solve problems and build things. Children are natural engineers as they play with blocks and Legos, create things in art, or build a fort outside with their friends. Here are a few other activities that will give your little “engineers” a job. 

Engineer Planning Book
Write “Engineer Planning Book” on the cover of the notebook. Explain that engineers draw a plan and then try to build their design. Place the book in the block center along with a pencil and encourage children to draw their idea and then try to build it.

Cups and Plates
Little guys to big kids will be challenged to build structures with simple materials like plates and cups.

Lunch Bag City
Buildings and houses from lunch bags are fun to construct and use to create a community, reproduce a scene from a book, or design a city of the future. Take 2 lunch bags and open them up. Fill one with crushed newspaper. Insert the second bag on top and then decorate with markers, construction paper scraps, etc.

BLOCK PLAY

I often tell teachers, "If I could have two things in my classroom I'd take books and blocks." Blocks are great for creative play and STEM, but they can also be used for other skills.

Note! For some of these activities you will want to tape the paper to the blocks or use sticky notes. For other games that will be used in multiple ways (such as letters and numerals), you could write on the blocks with a permanent marker.

Sequence– Tape illustrations (from a workbook or worksheet) of different parts of a story. Children can sequence the pictures and retell the story using the blocks.

Rhymes– Tape pictures of objects that rhyme to blocks and have children match them up.

CVC Words– On 2 ½” squares write consonants with a blue marker and write vowels with a red marker. Tape to blocks. Let children build CVC words using the blocks.

Prefixes and Suffixes– Use a black marker to write root words on 2 ½” x 5” pieces of paper and tape to blocks of the same size. Write prefixes with a green marker and suffixes with a red marker on 2 ½”” squares and tape to square blocks. Children place the prefixes in front of the root words and read. Place the suffixes on the end of the blocks and read.

Onsets and Rimes– Write rimes (vowel and letters following) on 2 ½” x 5” pieces of paper and tape to blocks. Write onsets (consonants and blends) on 2 ½” squares and tape to blocks. Children put onsets on rimes and read the words.

Singular and Plural – Write nouns on 2 ½” x 5” pieces of paper. Tape to blocks. Write “s” on a 2 ½” square and tape to a block. Challenge children to read singular words and then make them mean “more than one.”

Inflicted Endings– Write verbs on 2 ½’” x 5” pieces of paper. Write “s,” “ing,” and “ed” on 2 ½” squares and tape to blocks. Can children make words and then use them in sentences?

Letter Blocks– Write uppercase letters on 26 blocks and lowercase letters on other blocks. Can children match upper and lowercase letters?

Alphabetical Order– Ask children to put the blocks in alphabetical order.

Sight Words and Spelling Words– Invite children to reproduce their names, high frequency words, spelling words, or vocabulary words with the letter blocks.

Beginning Sounds– Using old workbooks, cut out pictures and tape them to blocks. Ask children to match up letters with pictures that begin with the same sound. (You could do this for final sounds or vowels.)

Building Sentences– Challenge children to construct sentences using the high frequency words.
I like…
We can…

I see…

DON'T FORGET MATH!!!!

Sorting – Can they sort like blocks together? Can they regroup the blocks by another attribute?

Numerical Order – Write numerals 0-10 on 2 ½” x 5” pieces of paper and attach to blocks. Can they put the blocks in order? 

Sets and Numerals – Write numerals, number words, and sets on blocks for children to match.



Roll and Stack – Children take one or two dice and roll. They select that number of blocks and stack them as tall as they can. 

Counting – How many blocks can you stack?

Math Signs – Write inequality signs, =, +, and – on pieces of paper and attach to blocks. Children can build equations and practice addition and subtraction with the numeral blocks and signs

Liquid Measurement – Write “cup” on two square blocks. Write “pint” on a rectangular block. How many cups in a pint?



Fractions – What would happen if you cut the square block in half? What would happen if you cut the rectangular block in half? How many ways can you make the square block? Rectangular block?

Measure Up – Children lay on the floor as friends take unit blocks and measure how many blocks long they are. Use different size blocks and compare.

Graphing – Have children draw their faces on 2 ½”” squares. Tape to blocks. Use for comparing and graphing.
For example: You could have a picture of a bus, feet, and a car. Children place their block under the way they travel to school. Which one is more? Less? How can we tell for sure?

BLOCK CENTER

WHY?

Blocks help children develop concepts of number, size, shape, space, and weight. They also encourage imagination, language, social skills, self-confidence, and motor skills. All you have to do is watch children playing in the block center and you will observe their pleasure and personal satisfaction. Talk about STEM and SEL all rolled into one center!!

The block center should be on a carpeted area with shelves to keep down the noise and contain the materials. Here are some materials you can rotate to encourage children’s creativity.

Materials:

Unit blocks – various shapes and sizes

Cardboard boxes

Alphabet blocks

Wooden dollhouse and furniture

Wooden barn and animals

Plastic dinosaurs and zoo animals

Toy train set, boats, airplanes

Small dolls or action figures

Plastic bins or boxes for accessories

Wooden cars and trucks

Toy street signs

Bristle blocks

Construction hats

Carpenter’s apron

Engineer Planning book

Maps

Paper, pencils

Pattern blocks

*Add construction hats or carpenter’s aprons for children to wear as they build.


Here are three simple rules children need to follow in the block center:

1. Build only as tall as you are.

2. Only knock down what you build.

3. Put the blocks away when you are finished.


JUST FOR FUN!

Name Blocks
Tape children's pictures to unit blocks and use for building, graphing. and other activities.

TP People
Glue full body photos to paper towel rolls and use in the block center or with a puppet theater.

WHY USE LEARNING CENTERS?

Learning centers are the most natural way to organize a classroom and encourage children to become active learners. Centers encourage children to make choices, explore at their own level, engage in hands-on discovery, solve problems, work with friends, use language, and be creative. Centers are also an effective way to use classroom materials, time, and space. Above all, learning centers capitalize on PLAY, which is the most meaningful and FUN way for children to learn.

Why use learning centers?

*Hands-on activities in centers provide many pathways to the brain and are engaging for young learners.

*Children can work at their own pace and level.

*Executive function skills of task initiation and task completion are nurtured with centers.

*21st Century Skills are enhanced as children cooperate with others, communicate, problem-solve, and think critically.

*Centers give children the opportunity to develop organizational skills and responsibility.

*Centers can provide children with purposeful practice for automaticity.

*Children take it in and take it in and take it in…and then something comes out! With centers we are laying a foundation by giving children a variety of rich experiences.


IT LOOKS LIKE I’M PLAYING BUT….

Just because children are playing, doesn’t mean they are not learning!!! Here are some center signs for you to post in your classroom to help parents, administrators, and other visitors recognize all the skills that children are developing.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/12i0cGopnEY28T3hxovLjiZeoOYYVEy0W/view

Dramatic Play – It looks like I’m playing, but I’m developing social skills, emotional skills, independence, oral language, my imagination, responsibility, and the executive function. I may use these skills as a mother, father, safety officer, or politician one day.

Blocks - It looks like I’m playing, but I’m developing motor skills, math concepts (number, size, shape, space), oral language, social skills. eye-hand coordination, self control, and my imagination. I may be a builder or architect when I’m grown.

Art – It looks like I’m playing, but I’m developing my creativity, small motor skills, problem solving, sharing, cooperation, independence and responsibility. I may use these skills as an artist, illustrator, or designer one day.

Math - It looks like I’m playing, but I’m developing oral language, social skills, small motor skills, concepts about quantity, shape, size, pattern, and an interest in math. I may use these tools as a computer programmer, accountant, or mathematician in the future.

Library - It looks like I’m playing, but I’m developing alphabet knowledge, oral language, print knowledge, listening skills, eye-hand coordination, concepts about the world, and the desire to read. Maybe I’ll be a publisher, author, or librarian when I grow up.

Science - It looks like I’m playing, but I’m developing a curiosity about the world, sensory skills, problem solving, language skills, and experience with the scientific process (observing, predicting, experimenting, recording, reporting). If I’m a doctor, lab technician, pharmacist, or landscaper I will utilize these skills.

Small Motor - It looks like I’m playing, but I’m developing small muscles, eye-hand coordination, attention span, social skills, and concepts about size, shape, color pattern. I might use these skills as a chef or dentist one day.

Language – It looks like I’m playing, but I’m developing oral language, alphabet knowledge, print connections, phonological awareness, visual skills, book knowledge, phonics, motivation to read. No matter what I become when I grow it, it will be important to know how to read.

Writing - It looks like I’m playing, but I’m developing eye-hand coordination, small motor skills, alphabet knowledge, self confidence, vocabulary, and an interest in print. I might use these skills one day as a journalist, administrative assistant, or poet.

Thanks to Carolyn Kisloski for these fantastic center signs.

LET'S PLAY WITH BLOCKS

If you ever went to one of my workshops you heard me say, "If I could have two things in my classroom I'd take books and blocks." Blocks are great for creative play and STEM, but they can also be used for other skills.

Note! For some of these activities you will want to tape the paper to the blocks or use sticky notes. For other games that will be used in multiple ways (such as letters and numerals), you could write on the blocks with a permanent marker.

Sequence– Tape illustrations (from a workbook or worksheet) of different parts of a story. Children can sequence the pictures and retell the story using the blocks.

Rhymes– Tape pictures of objects that rhyme to blocks and have children match them up.



CVC Words– On 2 ½” squares write consonants with a blue marker and write vowels with a red marker. Tape to blocks. Let children build CVC words using the blocks.

Prefixes and Suffixes– Use a black marker to write root words on 2 ½” x 5” pieces of paper and tape to blocks of the same size. Write prefixes with a green marker and suffixes with a red marker on 2 ½”” squares and tape to square blocks. Children place the prefixes in front of the root words and read. Place the suffixes on the end of the blocks and read.



Onsets and Rimes– Write rimes (vowel and letters following) on 2 ½” x 5” pieces of paper and tape to blocks. Write onsets (consonants and blends) on 2 ½” squares and tape to blocks. Children put onsets on rimes and read the words.

Singular and Plural – Write nouns on 2 ½” x 5” pieces of paper. Tape to blocks. Write “s” on a 2 ½” square and tape to a block. Challenge children to read singular words and then make them mean “more than one.”



Inflicted Endings– Write verbs on 2 ½’” x 5” pieces of paper. Write “s,” “ing,” and “ed” on 2 ½” squares and tape to blocks. Can children make words and then use them in sentences?

Letter Blocks– Write uppercase letters on 26 blocks and lowercase letters on other blocks. Can children match upper and lowercase letters?

Alphabetical Order– Ask children to put the blocks in alphabetical order.

Sight Words and Spelling Words– Invite children to reproduce their names, high frequency words, spelling words, or vocabulary words with the letter blocks.

Beginning Sounds– Using old workbooks, cut out pictures and tape them to blocks. Ask children to match up letters with pictures that begin with the same sound. (You could do this for final sounds or vowels.)

Building Sentences– Challenge children to construct sentences using the high frequency words.
I like…
We can…
I see…

Environmental Print – Ask children to bring in labels from food products or items around the house. Tape to blocks. Can they build towers and read the words?

DON'T FORGET MATH!!!!

Sorting – Can they sort like blocks together? Can they regroup the blocks by another attribute?

Numerical Order – Write numerals 0-10 on 2 ½” x 5” pieces of paper and attach to blocks. Can they put the blocks in order? 

Sets and Numerals – Write numerals, number words, and sets on blocks for children to match.



Roll and Stack – Children take one or two dice and roll. They select that number of blocks and stack them as tall as they can. 

Counting – How many blocks can you stack?

Math Signs – Write inequality signs, =, +, and – on pieces of paper and attach to blocks. Children can build equations and practice addition and subtraction with the numeral blocks and signs.

Liquid Measurement – Write “cup” on two square blocks. Write “pint” on a rectangular block. How many cups in a pint?

Fractions – What would happen if you cut the square block in half? What would happen if you cut the rectangular block in half? How many ways can you make the square block? Rectangular block?

Measure Up – Children lay on the floor as friends take unit blocks and measure how many blocks long they are. Use different size blocks and compare.

Graphing – Have children draw their faces on 2 ½”” squares. Tape to blocks. Use for comparing and graphing.
For example: You could have a picture of a bus, feet, and a car. Children place their block under the way they travel to school. Which one is more? Less? How can we tell for sure?