This month, the VIIs shared their impressive Brooklyn Bridge project with nearly every Group in the School, hosting thoughtful and engaging tours. From the IIs to the XIIIs, students learned about the materials used—blocks from the Block Yard, wood from the Shop, and cement for the anchorages—and explored the design, research, and teamwork behind the bridge. The VIIs integrated math, engineering, art, writing, and literacy skills to create a detailed structure and bring the story of the Great Bridge to life.

At the end of each tour, Groups came together to share thoughts and inspirations. One visitor from the Vs summed it up perfectly: “I just love it so much!” Younger students like the IIs and IIIs excitedly pointed out familiar block shapes—brickies, squaries, longies, middlies, butteries! The IVsN were so inspired that they returned to their Room to create their own Brooklyn Bridge. The IIIs were equally inspired, and invited the VIIs for a tour of what they’d made. 

The work didn’t end when the tours wrapped up. In the cleaning up process, the VIIs integrated math and data collecting into the task of counting and organizing the hundreds of blocks they used. They decided to count by 20s, grouping stacks of 4 sets of 5 blocks for easier tallying. One VII observed, “If we make 4 stacks of 5, we can skip count by 5, which is faster.” Another suggested leaving “a little alleyway” between stacks to keep the counts clear. To ensure accuracy, one group used a visual model on paper and clipboards to keep track of counting each shape. Next week, they’ll see how many total blocks were used on a large bar graph, detailing a count for each shape! 

This project exemplifies the hands-on, interconnected learning that defines C&C. Whether through library research, collaborative building, or creative problem-solving, the VIIs have reminded us how learning together strengthens our community.