Treasures Investigation
/Treasure was at the heart of the Purple Room (Pre-K/K) 2021-2022 investigation this year. We observed the children’s interests in treasure maps, and then after teachers shared some treasures in their own lives, the kids began to expand their vision of treasure beyond that of pirate’s treasure. We heard about precious stuffies, their love for trees or flowers, memorable birthday parties, and happy family trips. It quickly became evident that homes were a common thread among their treasures as well. This led to finding their homes on Google maps, mapping their route to and from school, and ultimately constructing their homes three-dimensionally from photos they had taken. This interest in routes and maps gave way to an exploration of a variety of games. Our culminating project was creating our own Purple Room game, Treasure Hoarding Swoops, which incorporated all aspects of their interests, their treasures, their homes, and their love of maps.
