Designing Hook Experiences

Name: Marissa Zanon, Erik Quillen, Abigail Harnen

Classroom: Explorers

Lesson Overview: How do you anticipate the children will explore with the materials? What do
you think they will do? What COULD happen?

The children will be using the materials to construct structures with various materials. I think
they will construct buildings that are similar to homes and then fill those homes with other items
that are available on the table. They could potentially explore breaking down the buildings as
well using their hands or possibly other materials.

Lesson Plan Objectives: what do I INTEND for the children to explore?

The children are to explore building through multiple forms including construction and
destruction given different materials to work with.

THE HOOK:
Roles/Responsibilities
What are the CHILDREN doing? What is your explorable question? Ideally, children should be
able to loop back to this question in their exploration

● What materials can be used to build a strong structure?

● building structures with various materials

What is the TEACHER doing? How are you asking children to engage with

the explorable question? Write 3 ways to ask: how; what; where)

● HOW: How can we build a sturdy building?

● WHAT: What materials could we use to make the strongest building?
● WHERE: Where can we find strong materials for our building?

How are you DOCUMENTING? What tools are you using for documenting the experience?

● Photos/Videos
● Anecdotal notes

THE BAIT:
The NEW
● What is NEW about the experience? Is it the materials, the physical space, or set-up
of familiar materials?
The children will have worked with practically all of these materials before, however the set-up
of materials and the intended use being for strong structures that they can test will make the
experience unique and fun for them.

● Sketch it out–below sketch out what the experience will look like, highlighting the new
and the questions for each of the three experiences

EXPLORABLE QUESTION:
What materials can be used to build a strong structure?

Schemas anticipated:
Connecting, Transforming, Enveloping/Enclosing, and Positioning

Below: At least 3 ways to stage the environment to discover more. Include materials, location,
and questions for each.
1. Building with 2. Creating structures using 3. Using nature items to
conventional block playdough: build structures:
materials:

Materials- Materials- Materials-

Wooden blocks
Foam blocks
Lego block pieces
Activity-
The children will explore with
a variety of block types to
construct towers of different
heights. They will use the
material to determine what
makes a strong/weak
structure.
Location-
Inside the Explorer room; on
the floor or at a table, 4
children at a time.
Questions-
“What happens if we use
bigger blocks at the bottom?”
“How can we make the tower
taller without it falling over?”
Playdough
Tools (meant for
clay/playdough)
Activity-
Students will use the
playdough, with prompting, to
build and form materials for
building. This can include the
children flattening, rolling, and
forming the playdoh to mimic
real life materials used for
buildings. Students can also
use “tools” often used for
shaping playdough to help
them. These materials can be
put together to create
buildings/towers of varying
shapes and heights.
Location-
At one of the back tables with
3-4 students at a time.
Pinecones
Sticks
Stones
Leaves (if able)
Grass
trays
Activity-
Version 1: students go
outside of the classroom for 2
minutes to gather materials to
use for building
Version 2: Nature materials
are placed in various
containers on the table for the
students to use
Each student will have a tray
in which they are to use the
materials to build strong
structures, experimenting
with balance and gravity.
 “Which blocks seem to be
the strongest? Why?”
Questions-
“How can we make our
playdough tower stronger?”
“What shapes do you think
would be best for making a
building stable?”
“How can we add more
support to the base of our
building?”
Location-
On one of the back tables in
the classroom with only 3-4
students at a time.
Questions-
“How can we make sure it
won't fall over?”
“How can we make that tower
stronger?”

“Can you show me how you “What other materials can we

would make a roof for your
building”?
“Is a tall building more sturdy
or less sturdy/ Why?”
use to make it stable?”
“Why are you choosing that
material to make your
building?”

“What natural materials do

you think are the best for
building?”

“What do you notice about

the different textures of the
materials?”

“Why do you think some

materials like rocks are
heavier than others, like
sticks?”

Reflection:

1. What part of this lesson experience went well?

It was organized and the guided questions prompted the children to think through their

thought process while building. The children had unique responses and insights to the

questions, and it often got them to think further. While this was teacher guided, it was still open

ended and allowed for the children to use their imagination to build something original.
2. What part of this lesson experience surprised you?

The children built and played with the blocks by themselves. I thought they would have

wanted to share their ideas and build with each other, but they just did their own thing. However,

I did notice that there were moments when some of the children would look at others' creations.

It then inspired them to build a structure similar or to explore with different blocks that they had

not yet used.

3. If you could change anything, what would it be and why?

I would have tried to get more children involved; the boys who I notice playing with the

blocks on the daily, walked over just moments after I set out the blocks. They showed natural

interest. The other children, particularly most of the girls, preferred to play with something else.

The children that I did invite over, engaged in the building but did not stay there for a long time.

This was unlike some of the other preschoolers who just have a natural curiosity in building and

could sit there all day and be content. I also could have included some more questions to

introduce the objective/purpose of the lesson.

4. Do you feel the children engaged with the experience as you expected?

For the most part! The questions I asked prompted the children to think about the

objective in mind. They all gave responses that were similar to the thinking of their friends. It

showed their understanding of why the selected block material was chosen (wooden, legos and

foam blocks). For example, the children knew that the wooden blocks would provide the

strongest support and when they built their structures, it came natural to them to use the

wooden blocks as the base.