Tools Kindergarten visit: Medieval England materializes in Ms. Lyons's class

Click to see how evidence of knowledge-building activities shows up in compelling play as we visit October Tools Kindergarten Teacher of the Month Sommer Lyons and her Oklahoma kindergarteners.

The challenge

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What we heard from teachers and administration at after implementing Tools at

Tools Kindergarten visit: Medieval England materializes in Ms. Lyons's class

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The process

Committee search to choose the right curriculum

Selection of Tools of the Mind curriculum & professional development

Tools training and implementation for all relevant staff

Teaching and learning review and outcomes

Each month, one Tools Kindergarten teacher posts photos and updates on their classroom happenings. Meet our October Tools Kindergarten Teacher of the Month, Sommer Lyons, who posts about her Lewis and Clark Elementary kindergarten children from their classroom in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

Background knowledge drives active learning

Ms. Lyons's class is engaged in their learning. Her kindergarteners use Tools interactive read-alouds to build enthusiasm for upcoming topics and develop the background knowledge they need to create immersive, play-themed activities.

“I love how Interactive Read-Alouds build a strong background about the theme, allowing students the opportunity to have discussions and bring in their own experiences.”
- Tools Kindergarten Teacher Sommer Lyons

Here, check out Ms. Lyons's children using what they’ve learned to recreate Medieval England. Below, they work simple machines from the medieval era (think wheels and pulleys), operate drawbridges, and construct castles with architectural details typical of the period, like crenellation—the characteristic notches featured at the top.

Thank you to Ms. Lyons and her kindergarteners for sharing their learning with us. Their knowledge of Medieval England shines through in their play—transporting us all back in time!

To see more from Ms. Lyons’s class and other Tools Kindergarten Teachers of the Month, check out the most recent posts.