For my building
blocks projects, I choose to use blocks. Each block was exactly the same square
shape and all the same size. They are part of a game that meant to stack them
up, then take blocks out of the middle to make the structure taller.

                            

This is my
first structure, it was built for design and looks. It was interesting how it
was curved and did not fall over. However, it will not hold much weight,
because it is already ready to fall. Also, it was a weak structure. And if I
want to add one more blocks it will fall over.                                                      The
building was not stable because the center of gravity it is no longer above the
center point of the base, so the structure is unstable. The structure has a strong
base and as it got to the top by adding blocks it start to curve. This building
has so much dead load it could not hold any live load.

 

                  

This was my
second structure it was built to test the strength of the structure. I had a
very stable and strong base and was built by using the same amount of blocks
from base to top. It was square and strong. I used beans can to test it. It held
four cans before it start to lean and fall. The center of gravity is directly above
the center point of the base, that’s why this structure held more weights than
the other structure and had a wider base, so the structure is stable. The
structure held the live load very good. Also, in this structure, the upward of
the force was very strong from the base to the top of the structure. The
structure stood 20 inches tall.

                                    

      This
is my third structure. It was testing height. I tried to build it as tall as I can
for the highest structure. I started with a strong base of two blocks and as it
got up I turned the blocks length size to make it taller. This structure was
not very strong, it would not hold too much weight even if I added one more
blocks it will fall over.

      So since these blocks are hard and strong
more than other materials we cannot see compression and tension, but we can say
that there is a compression because it’s been squeezed by the weight of the
blocks as it got high, pushing it downward and by the ground pushing up. And
even if I added one more blocks it will start to lean. If I would have to build
the structure like the first structure it has to bend and fall too fast even
before it got the same size as the third structure. This structure is 32 inches
high.

    Some questions can be asked to young
children to encourage their exploration of the materials. For preschool child
(3 years old): I would ask the following questions:

How tall could
they make their structure?                                                                                                             How many blocks did
you use for this structure?

For
kindergarten, 5 years old: I would ask the following questions:

How did you
build your structure?

Could you try
to build a structure with a different base?

For second-grader,
7 years old: I would ask the following questions:

How can we
build this structure?

Is there a way
to have a balcony within the structure?

From these questions,
children can learn about height, length, create a structure that has a wider
base, how many weigh their structure can hold and how they can add a balcony to
their structures.

       From all these, children can learn and
explore spatial thinking. Students can start to explore their topological
thinking. The preschooler will be developing this type of thinking by simply
building structures they starting to explore the materials. And the understanding
of how shapes fit together to make similarity objects of any design. It includes
math, problem solving and pattern guesses. It also offering younger children further
opportunities to discover spatial thinking and to develop their skills and
understanding of math as they getting more mature.

         Also,
children can explore their projective thinking by looking at their structure what
looks like as it rotates or turns and visualizing the structure from the back
or the side view. Children begin to observe and characterize structures from
different points of view and includes ideas of perspective. The placement of
features or structures in relation to each other and taking the description a top
view, back or side becomes part of the child’s way of observing the object. 

         I learned from this project how to
build a structure by using blocks. Building structures with blocks made it
easier for me especially because they are all the same shape and size. Also, I
learned that building structure on flat ground is better than build it on a
carpet. Also, I learned to put too much weigh on the structure will not be
safe. I would have my students to test different materials to check how much their
structure can hold. Playing with blocks is important for helping preschoolers
to develop spatial thinking, or visualizing where blocks go in relation to each
other as they build. Also offering children more opportunities to explore
spatial thinking can help to develop their skills and understanding of math as
they get mature.