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Up, Up, Up... Can Documentation Be Building Blocks for New Learning?

School: Brookline Early Education Program

4. Aliyah Begins

Aliyah is building her staircase. She remarks: "It's too big."

I ask: "I wonder what you can do to solve that problem?"

She examines: "I took some blocks away. Some steps were too high. You need one block, then two, then three, then four, then five blocks. Like four comes before five."


Aliyah is building up walls. When she goes to place floor boards over them, she makes a discovery. She notices: "It's too tall. I have to take one down. The floor is too high."

I query: "How might you get it lower?"

After turning the top blocks on their wider sides, she explains: "I laid the block down. Now it's the same inch as the steps!"


While relizing that the walls go completely around the house, I relate: "Aliyah, how do you get into your house?"

Aliyah responds: "Up the stairs."

I continue: "Pretend to go up your stairs."

She realizes: "I have to move this [the wall at the top of the stairs] and the door goes here."