Early Childhood Center Construction Workers Visit Kindergarten Classroom

Kindergarten students peer through the portholes, captivated by the sights and sounds coming from just a few feet away on the other side of the wall that separates the world of their classroom from the seemingly vast expanse beyond. When the activity ceases, some model what they had observed by creating their own construction site in classroom sandboxes; others try their hand at artistic representations of the “diggers” through paintings and drawings. 

Having observed the construction workers on the job, the children were thrilled to learn that the men had agreed to visit their classroom to talk about their current project, Hawken’s new Early Childhood Center. Sean and Jim brought blueprints depicting the plan; the children were understandably puzzled to learn that blueprints are actually not blue. They also learned the meaning of “facade” and “skylight” as the workers described the new four-windowed “face” they would ultimately see as they approach the part of the building east of their classroom, and the dome-shaped ceiling window that would bring a flood of natural light inside the new Center.

Safety, soil quality, and estimating were other topics addressed – along with challenges such as weather conditions, which explains why on some stormy days there has been little to observe through the porthole besides wind and rain. In addition to explaining that new soil had to be brought in to support the building, the workers compared the structure of the building to a human skeleton: In order to sustain the roof, they must first build a frame of steel and concrete bolts for support.   

While stormy skies may have temporarily dampened some of the kindergartner’s fun, imminent sunny skies will bring new found excitement and anticipation about the construction of the new space that is being created just for them.