Little Citizens, Big Ideas: Civics Study Brought to Life in iLab

Little Citizens, Big Ideas: How new 21^st century learning spaces boosted the Beginners’ interdisciplinary civics study

Bigger and better. That’s how Beginners (kindergarten) teachers Carly Conley and Melissa Macaluso describe this fall’s enriched civics study on voting. The lesson, which combined academic learning with the engineering design process, also reinforced concepts based on the RCDS Four Pillars – Kind, Honest, Responsible, and Respectful.

The study was part of a curriculum initiative launched by RCDS faculty that implemented overarching themes for Lower School student learning. The Beginners theme, “The Four Pillars of RCDS,” is a springboard for five and six-year-olds to engage with the School’s core values, while delivering academic content like literature, vocabulary, numeracy, and more. Voting turned out to be an ideal subject matter.

As a culminating project, Beginners were invited to vote for the character from Mo Willems’ Elephant and Piggie picture book series that best embodies the Four Pillars. “The voting portion of the study was really empowering for Beginners,” said Mrs. Macaluso. In the lead-up to Election Day, students participated in daily polling for practice. “We talked a lot about majority rule and how everybody doesn’t always win,” Mrs. Macaluso continued. “Children gained an understanding of what choice is and that you can have your own opinion and exercise that opinion. It may not be one shared by your friends and that’s okay.”  

21^st century learning spaces brought civics and voting to life

Building a workable, electronic voting booth for Election Day was the most ambitious and exciting part of the project. The state-of-the-art innovation lab — a brand new 21^st century learning space unveiled at RCDS in September—played a significant role in elevating the lesson. “Having these resources opened up so many new possibilities,” said Mrs. Conley.

The Beginners practiced the engineering design process by constructing prototypes in their classrooms. “Once students sketched out their plans, they had to determine the materials they needed. They were challenged to work as a team, which at this age can be hard because they all have so many great ideas to share,” explained Mrs. Conley.

The project began to coalesce in the innovation lab. Beginners engineered the three-sided structure and were involved in every step of its construction, from determining how to build a sturdy base, to safely practicing with model screwdrivers and bolts, as well as sanding and painting. RCDS sixth graders contributed to the project using Makey Makey circuits to code the electronic machine inside the booth, while Beginners created “I Voted” stickers and registration cards to enhance the election experience. 

And the winner is…

Beginners cast their votes on November 5^th, and teachers say they were well-informed. With every Elephant and Piggie story read aloud, students processed why they believed the characters represented the RCDS Four Pillars in group discussions and in writing prompts. In the end, the election went to Piggie. The emphasis on Kindness, Honesty, Responsibility, and Respect throughout the lesson helped young learners put their candidate’s results in perspective. “When the vote was revealed, some students were truly disappointed,” Mrs. Macaluso said. “But we had spoken about The Four Pillars so much leading up to the vote. They respected each other’s different opinions and were having conversations about it.”

Beginners also have a good model of teamwork to follow. Though Mrs. Conley and Mrs. Macaluso each lead their own class of 14 kindergarteners, they collaborate constantly on lessons and projects. Their motto? “We’re the Beginners family, not two separate classrooms,” said Mrs. Macaluso.

Director of Curriculum Heather Parker said the voting project was the perfect example of how the thematic approach and new learning spaces have impacted interdisciplinary learning at RCDS. "By engaging with overarching themes, students can apply their learning to real-world situations, creating meaningful connections across subject areas," explained Mrs. Parker. "With the integration of these hands-on projects, they actively develop essential skills such as collaboration, adaptability, and creativity. Meanwhile, our teachers are modeling these same skills, providing a powerful example for students to follow."