February 2, 2022
If you have been by the Makerspace recently, there’s no doubt that you’ve seen the quaint treehouses that are spread across the hallway for all to enjoy! This project was a second grade collaboration with Mr. Braafladt in the Makerspace. Though this was only the first time that students participated in this project, it seems as if another MPA tradition has begun as the children, teachers, and other community members passing by appreciate the end result–and had so much fun in the making!
The inspiration for this fun activity began in November with a project called the Nature Walk. To prepare, the second grade students read many nature-centric stories and completed a plethora of great writing pieces to sharpen their observational and sensational skills for the world outside of the classroom. The Nature Walk took place on our campus and children were tasked with observing, analyzing, being present with their surroundings, and picking up objects that could be included for building the Treehouses. After the Nature Walk portion of the second grade unit, the classes read, “Everything You Need for a Treehouse” by Carter Higgins. This book includes gorgeous images along with a lively description of all the essential elements of a treehouse, from wood and rope, to rafters and ladders. This descriptive picture book perfectly “captures the universal timelessness of treehouses and celebrates all the creativity and adventure they spark.”
Before the eager students could get started with building in the Makerspace, it was crucial that they learned and understood the steps within the Design Thinking Process: Empathize, Define, Ideate, Prototype, and Test. The children worked with a partner to collaborate—another important aspect emphasized in this project—and design a structure that is stable, had a way to get up and down, had a some type of roof to protect, walls to hold up the canopy, and incorporated nature elements collected from their exploratory walk. Three building sessions took place in the Makerspace where they started with a sketch of both a birds eye view and an eye level drawing, and then began building from there. After completing their amazing constructions, the students were asked to write a descriptive piece about them, and why they had specific features, how they managed to build it, and how they collaborated with their team.
Don’t miss this wholesome project, head down to the Makerspace or click here for the full album of photos.
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Please join the Visual Arts Department in congratulating these Upper School artists for having their work acknowledged in the 2022 Minnesota Scholastic Art Awards!
from Dr. Bill Hudson, Head of School
Parents Connect
from Mark Segal, Upper School Director
from Dr. Jenn Milam, Middle School Director
Position while at MPA
To say the least, parenting young children has presented many new challenges throughout the last two years. The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in fewer opportunities for children to interact with their peers and develop independence. As students ages three to five prepare to attend PreK or kindergarten at MPA, many parents have questions and concerns about their child’s social and emotional readiness during this challenging time.