Conceptual Building Center

Over the summer I found many new items that I could add to the building station, where students create conceptual designs in three dimensions, then take them apart and create again. The new sets are K'nex and Kid K'nex, wooden Tinker Toys, plastic Tinker Toys, another set of Constructo-Straws, so that students can make bigger constructions, Space Links, Bristle Blocks, a plastic Erector set, another set of magnetic rods, and Toobers, and Zots. I also added a set of small people, furniture, and animals so that students could add these to their buildings.



A lot of the students like the large building blocks, which are really just sanded pieces of scrap lumber (they like to help me sand them), but these students decided to build their castle on the bottom of the box that the blocks were stored in!


Students like the magnetic rods so much that I got a second set this summer.
Students like to use magnets on the chalkboard to create outlines, or contour line.
Students use the Riviton set to create objects with moving parts, and use problem-solving and engineering skills.