Learning about Planes, Trains and Automobiles at Lok Yuen Early Learning Center
Preschoolers at the Lok Yuen Early Learning Center focused on a favorite subject: vehicles! Lok Yuen’s creative preschool teachers, Jennifer, Jenny, Lisa, and Xueyan, created a project-based unit all about buses, trucks, trains, and more.
Early educators teach by using studies or a project approach to build on children’s knowledge and interests. Teachers support curiosity and exploration, helping kids make sense of their experiences.
During free play, children played with vehicles and role-played scenarios with carts, tricycles, toy cars, trains, tractors, planes – anything with wheels.
Studies are an opportunity to really dig deep into topics that children already have some knowledge of and interest in. Working from children’s everyday experiences and observations, educators support children as they collaborate with peers and deeply engage in a subject.
Children worked together to create a truck out of big boxes. During group time, they discussed what materials they wanted to use while the teacher documented the ideas and materials children suggested. Throughout the week, they assembled items they found in the art area, as well as recycled/upcycled items and painted, cut, and glued to build their vehicle.
Thank you to the Mimi and Peter Haas Fund’s Program, Materials, and Equipment grant which provided funds for many of these materials.
