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Beginning in the first year of life when children bang identically shaped blocks together at the mid line, symmetry evolves into finished structures of increasing complexity. Placing two same-shaped blocks side-by-side as a finished product captures the mid-air action of banging them together. As the child reflects on the symmetry of side-by-side, he tries to create other forms of symmetry, such as bisecting a lower block with a smaller block placed on top, thereby making the two empty spaces on each side of the smaller block equal.

When children intentionally create block structures they are, in effect, making a statement about the spatial relations among the blocks. On top, next to, between, covering are some of the relations that block structures can represent. We might want to give the structures names like arch, row, or stack; but we can understand the stages of block building better if we think about the relations that one block holds toward another. Near-but- not-touching (a gap) is more complicated than touching (a row).

In this video, we see a 17 months old girl who, like many children, loves water play – pouring water into bottles, stirring water in the water table and splashing in the puddles outside. But what drives her interest in water? We might know “that” she is interested in water play, but can we say more about how her thinking and predicting sustains her play? We learned from this child’s teacher that the water faucet holds more interest for toddlers than the water table.

For many weeks, Dryden has shown an interest in unusual rocks. He collects them near the schoolhouse. Today he has found a rather large rock, too heavy for him to carry. He requires the help of an adult. Watch this six-minute clip and reflect on the way in which his teacher, Mr. Pat, balances helping with encouraging the children’s planning. Note his strategy of not using his full strength, so the children will participate in the rock moving challenge. Below you will find our observations and interpretations surrounding Mr. Pat’s role in the experience.

We know that round spaces afford conversation, enclosed spaces afford intimacy, and high spaces afford achievement – for children as well as adults. However some features of a classroom might not be commonly identified for what they afford. In this video clip, four children race back and forth between a wall mirror and a cushioned corner. A study of this clip reveals yet another affordance of space.

Your first impression in watching this video clip of water play might be that the teacher asks the children many questions. But we must be careful to analyze the form of a conversation before discussing it. How often does the teacher ask the children to provide a strategy to solve a problem? Does the teacher accept a child’s strategy or suggest a counter-strategy? Does the teacher give an explicit reason for what she is doing, sort of “thinking out loud?” We have written a full transcript of this video.

A teacher can focus children’s thoughts via her questions, as you will see in this five-minute video. The children are rolling toy cars down a ramp. A bell on a string hangs from a tunnel through which the ramp passes. The larger car reliably makes the bell ring as it rolls through the tunnel. The smaller car often rolls to one side without contact with the suspended bell. In general, the teacher can ask about effects (“What will happen if I use this (larger) car?) or she can ask about causes (“Why does this car work better?”). There are inherent problems with both of these questions.

Dusk and his friends are interested in building a track for their racecars. As a provocation, some of the chairs are lined up in the classroom. The children see this line of chairs as a good location for their track. Dusk decides to extend the line of chairs and recruits his friends to help. Listen as he repeats the words “more, more, more!” Watch how Marty responds and how the boys get to work, spurred on by Dusk’s motivational speaking throughout the footage. Dusk gathers his friends to explain where to build the track and what to do once the track is finished.

Olivia and Michael explore an unusual object, a toy harp. At first Olivia fingers the features that protrude, the posts that the musician uses to tune the harp. The teacher models how to pluck the wire strings to make a musical sound. Olivia is intrigued, but on her way to try this new strategy, she cannot resist fingering the protruding posts once again. She changes her movement from a pinch of the post to a grasp of the string, followed by a pluck made by swiping the wire strings with her fingers. This progression reveals how infants think.

Corbin and Annie play at the same table for 45 minutes, making marble ramps and catches. At first Corbin is unsure if he can create what he has planned, so he asks Annie. Annie senses that Corbin wants to build up, so she offers him a short grooved block and places it on top of another grooved block. Corbin repeats this strategy with another block, but he remains unsure that his structure offers what he desires. He wants the marble to roll along the “maze” but it just falls off the short block. He calls out to Kelly, the teacher, hoping she will help him create a structure that works.