Kindergarten has been learning all about Community over the past few weeks.  Yesterday we went to the fire station and today we finally completed our “in-house community.”  Well worth the wait I think.  I did it a little differently this year and am very pleased with the changes.  In years past it was more of a free for all.  We would brainstorm places, people, etc. we see in our community and then the kids would sort of go wild with their own creations.  This year, after we brainstormed, I had each student pick a building that interested them and we really focused on that structure.  First we gluechaed (a word I just made up to represent paper mache with only glue and water) it.  Then we painted it.  Then, thanks to one of the kid’s suggestions, made doors and windows, which really meant I slaved over the boxes with an exacto knife while the kids directed me.  Finally, I surprised them with super cool LED lights that I picked up at a garage sale for three bucks, that we glue gunned to their buildings.  This detail totally rocked and really took the experience to the next level.  We made little people from corks and then used the extra corks to create some trees, thanks to this idea I found on pinterest by The Picky Apple.  All in all, a fabulous long term project that the kids keep begging to play with.  So much fun and a great way to reuse some everyday trash. Hope you enjoy the photos.