Constructing Train Scenes
/For the last number of weeks, our Tuesday friends have been quite focused on reading about and constructing trains and tracks with building blocks, tracks, and doll house structures and pieces. We’ve read Freight Train by Donald Crews and Steam Train, Dream Train by Sherri Duskey Rinker and Tom Lichtenheld multiple times a day.
Last week we began to look at the details of the various train cars (box cars, tank cars, hopper cars etc.). Today we invited friends take a closer look at printed photos train tracks, train tunnels, and trestle bridges. We also presented paper and drawing materials. P, H, R, and G were very interested in creating their own train scenes. P had the idea to draw tracks with railroad ties, cut out scenes of trains in snow, and glue them over his train tracks. So we added scissors, glue, cardboard pieces, and toilet paper rolls to our project. G followed suit with his own tracks and spent much time cutting out train images and choosing which to add to his tracks. R experimented initially with tracks and then moved on to create a train tunnel with a train track photo glued over half of a toilet paper roll. H used toilet paper rolls to create a subway and a Max train stacked on top of each other. V also joined us in creating. Later, friends joined M and M in building tracks and driving trains.
We will continue to explore train scenes over the next week and later introduce the idea of collaborating on a more detailed train scene/map with other materials.
