Children created peg dolls that were painted and dressed like themselves, and then they built the dolls a town to live in out of recycled materials based on their observations and investigations into the town of Quakertown. Children learned about making signs, needs of community, and cooperative building

Math

• Children practiced measurement and proportion as they designed and built the town for their peg dolls, using recycled materials.
• They learned about shapes and spatial relationships while creating the buildings and structures for the doll town.
• Students applied basic math concepts of addition, subtraction, and division while sharing and distributing resources for their town.

Science

• Through observation of Quakertown, children learned about the natural and human-made features of a town, including the environment and the roles of community members.
• Students explored the properties and characteristics of different materials as they chose and used recycled items for building the town.
• They gained an understanding of sustainability and environmental responsibility by repurposing materials for their project.

Social Studies

• Children developed an understanding of community needs and the roles of different community members, which they incorporated into their doll town.
• By creating signs and essential structures, students learned about the importance of communication and organization in a community.
• They gained insight into cooperative building and teamwork as they worked together to construct their doll town using recycled materials.

For continued development, students can engage in discussions about different types of communities, such as urban, suburban, and rural, and how their doll town reflects elements of a real community. They can also explore further in-depth investigations into specific community needs and create corresponding solutions through their doll town project.

Book Recommendations

• The Little House by Virginia Lee Burton: This classic tale explores the changes that occur when a growing town surrounds a little house in the country.
• Extra Yarn by Mac Barnett: A story about creativity, community, and compassion, as a girl knits colorful sweaters for everyone in her chilly town.
• Quiet Town by Jason Heglund: Through beautiful illustrations, this book shows the transformation that occurs when a bustling city and its noise are softened by the calming power of a young girl's creativity and imagination.