Grade by Grade
Strand B: Problem Solving and Innovating · Wonder, Explore, Build and Create

Build It, Test It, Make It Better

B12.1 B12.3 B12.5 B12.6 B12.4 A5About 25 minutes
Learning goals
  • I can plan what I want to build.
  • I can choose blocks, boxes, tape and other materials to build with.
  • I can test my building and make it stronger.
  • I can build safely and help clean up.
  • I can count my blocks and tell which tower is taller.

Words to know

build
To put things together to make something, like a tower or a bridge.
structure
Something that is built, like a tower, a bridge, a house or a fort.
plan
To think about what you will make before you start.
test
To try something out to see if it works.
stable
Steady. It does not wobble or fall over easily.
base
The bottom part that holds everything up.

Let's be builders!

(Grown-up: read aloud.)

Have you ever built a tower with blocks? Did it fall down? Crash! 🧱💥

Builders are problem solvers. They plan, they build, they test, and then they make it better.

The builder's steps

  1. Plan 🤔 What will I build? What will I use? I can draw my idea.
  2. Build 🧱 Put the pieces together.
  3. Test 🌬️ Does it stand up? Can it hold a toy? What happens if I blow on it?
  4. Make it better 🔧 If it wobbles or falls, change something and test again.
A tall tower made of wooden blocks on a table, with a few more blocks beside it.
A builder made this tall tower. How could you test it? What could you change to make it stronger? AI-generated image

Which tower is stronger?

Look at the two towers below. Both use blocks. Which one do you think would fall down first if the table shook?

A: tall and thinB: wide at the bottom
Tower A is tall and thin. Tower B is wide at the bottom and gets smaller at the top.

Tower B is more stable. It has a wide base at the bottom. Big, wide bottoms help towers stand up.

Let's count Tower B's blocks: the bottom row has 4, then 3, then 2, then 1. That's 10 blocks! Tower A has 6 blocks, but it is taller.

Worked example

Let's build a bridge for a toy car

Problem: We want a bridge from one book to another book so a toy car can drive across. We have paper and tape.

  1. Plan. Put 2 books on the table, a little apart (about as wide as your hand). Say what we will try: "Lay a paper across the books."
  2. Build and test. Lay a flat paper between the books. Put the toy car in the middle. Oh no! The paper sags and the car falls. 🚗⬇️
  3. Make it better. Let's fold the paper back and forth like a fan (a zigzag). Lay the folded paper across the books.
  4. Test again. Put the car on it. The folded paper holds the car up much better! Folding makes paper stronger.
  5. Tell. "Flat paper was too weak. Folded paper was stronger, so it held the car."

Folding the paper into a zigzag made the bridge strong enough to hold the car. When something doesn't work, we change it and test again.

Flat paperZigzag paperIt sags. The carfalls through!It stays strong.The car is held up!
Flat paper sags and the car falls. Folded into a zigzag, the same paper is strong enough to hold the car.

Safe builders

  • Build towers no taller than your shoulders, so nothing falls on anyone.
  • Use scissors only with a grown-up, and walk with the points down.
  • Never climb on your building.
  • Clean up blocks from the floor so nobody trips.
Hands-on activity

Tallest tower challenge

You need: things to stack, like blocks, empty boxes, plastic cups, paper towel tubes, or books. Some tape if you like.

  1. Plan: Draw a quick picture of the tower you want to build.
  2. Build it. Remember: no taller than your shoulders!
  3. Test it: blow on it gently. Put a stuffed animal on top. Does it stay up?
  4. Make it better: If it falls, try a wider base, or put bigger things at the bottom.
  5. Count how many pieces you used. Ask your grown-up to build one too. Whose tower is taller? Whose tower used more pieces?
  6. Take a photo or draw your finished tower, then clean up together.
Just for fun

Why did the tall, skinny block tower fall asleep?

It was too tired to stand up! Next time, give it a wide base so it stays awake. 🧱😴

Your turn

1

Look at the two towers in the picture. Which one is more stable: A or B?

2

Where should you put the big blocks: at the top or at the bottom?

3

🧸 Your tower falls when you put a teddy on top. Tell one way to fix it.

4

How tall should your tower be, to be safe?

5

🧱🧱🧱🧱🧱 Count the blocks in this tower.

6

Name 2 things from home you could build with.

More practice: warm-up

1

What is the first builder's step: plan or clean up?

2

Does a tower stand better with a wide bottom or a thin bottom?

3

Who helps you when you use scissors? ✂️

4

🟦🟦🟦 and 🟥🟥🟥🟥🟥🟥. Which tower is taller if every block is the same size?

5

What do we do with the blocks when we are finished?

More practice: on your own

1

What does test mean?

2

Flat paper did not hold the car on our bridge. What made it stronger?

3

You build a tower with 4 blocks. You add 2 more. How many blocks now? 🧱

4

Which would make a strong fort for teddy: pillows and a blanket or one piece of tissue paper? Why?

5

Your bridge wobbles. Your friend says, "Let's add tape." Is that a good idea? Why?

Challenge

1

You have 10 cups. Plan a cup tower: how many cups would you put in the bottom row, then the next rows?

2

Your tower is 6 blocks tall. Your grown-up's tower is 8 blocks tall. Whose is taller? How many more blocks?

3

You want to build a house for a toy that keeps the rain out. 🌧️ What could you use for the roof? Why?

Check your understanding

Quiz

1.

Which tower is less likely to fall?

2.

What do builders do after they test and see a problem?

3.

Where do the biggest blocks go?

4.

Which is a safe building rule?

5.

🧱🧱🧱 + 🧱🧱 How many blocks altogether?

For parents and teachers

What this lesson is about. In Kindergarten, children design, build and test structures (asking questions, planning, choosing materials, testing and improving) and follow safe practices while building. Building also brings in math: counting pieces, comparing heights, and noticing 3D shapes.

How to help at home:

  • Keep a "building box" of clean recyclables (boxes, tubes, lids, cups) and some tape.
  • Give a small challenge instead of instructions: "Can you build something that holds this book up?"
  • When it falls, stay calm and curious: "What happened? What could you change?" Resist fixing it for them.
  • Ask your child to count the pieces and compare: "Which tower is taller? How many more blocks?"

Common difficulties:

  • Frustration when things fall is normal. Name it ("That's frustrating!") and help your child try one small change.
  • Children often stack straight up. Point out real buildings and bridges with wide bases.
  • Safety: supervise scissors and tape cutters, keep tower height low, and check that building materials are clean and free of sharp edges.