Curriculum Director Lisa Rodriguez was awarded a $8,226 grant from the Pleasantville Fund for Learning, which was used to purchase the supplies for a hands-on unit about simple machines at Bedford Road School.

Here, Mrs. Vecchiariello’s kindergarten class wasted no time diving into the big blue boxes full of Legos to build the complex structures in pairs.

With their instructional cards at the ready, and with the help of a few knowledgeable fourth graders, the class used the familiar blocks and pieces to create “simple machines” that serve to teach math and science concepts.

According to Rodriguez,  “They learn various aspects of simple machines, including energy and power, levers, wheels and axels.”

The 10-week curriculum correlates with a preceding lesson, and students discuss what they learn after the project is complete.

“Each week, we work on developing the week before,” explained Rodriguez. “I read a prompt, do a simple lesson. Then we build our machine and do a short experiment.”

Mrs. Vecchiariello’s class focused on measuring the distance the cars traveled last week, using different variables.

During last week’s Board of Education meeting, Trustee Lois Winkler said she sat in on one of the class lessons.

“It was just amazing watching these kindergartens put together these really complicated cars,” she said.

The Legoland and Early Simple Machines grant was awarded as part of the 2010 Grants for Excellence in Education by the Fund for Learning. Learn more about the Fund here.