Choice Time in Room 9

In Room 9, sometimes we get to have Choice Time! Choice Time is a favourite thing for many of the kids in our class. Here are some of the things we like about Choice Time:

We like to make crafts. -Grayson
We build up in Choice Time with the blocks and all of the other stuff. It is fun. -Cav
We make beautiful art and we have fun with building and we really like toys so we don't want to break stuff. -Jaelyn
I like all of the choices. -Colin
We like drawing on paper and building with blocks and Bananagrams. -Chelsea
We like to play with all of the toys. -Katya
We like to read books. -Ella
We like playing with the toys. We let each other play. -Megan
We have to share the toys. -Tristin
We include people at choice time. -Henning
If people are playing on the ground, watch out for them. -Jaelyn
You have to listen to the rules when you play. You have to clean up your mess when you're mess when you're done. -Chelsea
I like playing with paper. -Maggie
My favourite are the blocks. -Colin
Be nice at choice time. -Katya
We take care of the toys. -Nia
If somebody asks you if they want a book, give them one. -Ella
You have to be kind to the other kids when you play. -Eben
Be gentle with the toys. -Cav

During choice time I see kids playing together, cooperating, designing, building, making things, problem solving, using their imaginations, inventing stories, and having a whole pile of fun! It's a time when kids have choice in the materials they want to use, the activity they want to do, and how they want to do it.

This year my goal is to transform our Choice Time activities and choices into a "Makerspace" time. The "Maker Movement" is something that many educators are bringing into their classrooms and library spaces as it embraces a child's natural curiosity and supports the notion of learning by doing. Play is an essential component. Technology also plays a role in Makerspaces. Children become producers of digital products rather than consumers of products created by others. This year we will explore coding as one element of our Makerspace time. This type of hands-on learning/playing incorporates so many STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) outcomes while kids create, cooperate and learn together. -Ms. Clarke