At the East Andover Village Preschool, our daily curriculum, activities, and classroom environment embodies the thoughts, ideas, and questions that are at the forefront of the group’s play and conversations, known as emergent curriculum.

Recently, we have been exploring airplanes and airports, doing research and cooperating as we transform our Dramatic Play area into both an airplane and airport. The group was introduced to the role of a pilot and flight attendant, as they role-played in both, while also becoming a ticket agent.

There have been opportunities to explore airflow as we created our own gyrocopters; measurement as we flew paper airplanes; and drawing faces as we made our own passports.

While Dramatic Play has been transformed into airports and airplanes, our Beautiful Stuff project was revisited as the group used a variety of items to create their own representations of airplanes and boats. After working with the materials, the children have been encouraged to come up with their own stories and, using emergent writing, to make labels for their work.

In our Science area, the children have investigating tree stumps and logs. They have made predictions as to what might have made the holes in the stumps, discussed what type of animals use the trees for a home, and have begun to identify the differences between evergreen trees and deciduous trees.

With continuing our thoughts about where animals live and which ones use trees for homes, the block area has become an area where children have been continuing their thoughts and ideas about habitats for animals. In using the small unit blocks, pictures from magazines, and animals, children have created zoos, trees, and ponds to work out their thoughts and ideas about what animals need and how they live in their special environments.

As I was writing this article, our airplane had become broken and required some repairs, which led to tools and maintenance occurring. Once the tools were added to the area, the play transformed into construction of buildings such as homes and hotels, and through the play and conversations, our Dramatic Play area was transformed again to represent these thoughts.

We are excited to see how the conversations continue and grow!