Welcome to the Tel Aviv Zoo

As children build with different kinds of materials during open exploration, they begin to notice how blocks of different shapes and sizes and made from different materials are good for different kinds of buildings. Through their actions and words they begin to ask questions about stability and balance, and notice characteristics of materials. For example, during open exploration a child may build up to see how high she can go before her structure wobbles or falls. Or a child may work to enclose toys inside a structure so they're safe from other animals at a zoo. During a focused exploration, children engage in an investigation that focuses on a question that is central to their particular interest. They make a new observation and record and represent their experiences. Nathanial and his friends spent a long period of time building cages for the animals. They were very thoughtful and deliberate when deciding how to best group the animals. I encouraged the children to describe what they were building. They informed me that they were building a zoo! I then asked the children," How can you show us what is being built here? "Nathanial said, "Let's make a sign!" So that is what he did...Welcome to the "The Tel Aviv Zoo!"