Build It Lab

young students using tablets to learn

The First School’s “Build It Lab” engages children in hands-on, multidisciplinary challenges integrating principles of science, technology, engineering, and math. Children are presented with age appropriate, real-world “problems” and asked to visualize possible solutions in their minds before embarking on the work at hand.

For instance, one lesson challenged Key’s Kindergarteners to help the Key-Wees’ study of the alphabet by creating letters for an ABC Book using their choice of materials. While provided many options as starting points (including items found in the Build It Lab, outside on the Nature Explore Playground or even the Drawing Pad iPad app), children were only limited by their imaginations. They then documented their letter creations using the iPad camera app. Kindergarteners presented their books to the entire First School, explaining how they were created. Their unique alphabet was also used by Key to create stationery for the First School.

children using building blocks

A Pre-Kindergarten challenge, designed in conjunction with a book the class read, charged the students with building components of a castle including a tower (using only cubes), a Lego bridge to span a moat, castle walls based on a floor plan and, finally, the creation of their own castles using the iPad Drawing app.

In the Build It Lab, First School children are actively engaged solving problems with creativity and joy.