January Book of the Month
Roxaboxen by Alice McLerran
About the Book
In this amazing story, neighborhood kids turn a barren field into a town with nothing but rocks and their imaginations.
The Cannon Cardboard City Challenge
We are super excited about our cardboard city challenge! Every year we celebrate creativity by having a cardboard challenge. Cardboard challenges across the nation are modeled after the creativity of one boy who created his own arcade out of cardboard. This year, each Cannon grade level will build a different part of the city out of cardboard and then we will set our city up in the Learning Commons for everyone to visit and enjoy.
Watch this video about Caine's Arcade to see where the cardboard challenge came from
Caine's Arcade
Now it's time to create a Cannon Cardboard City!
Step 1
Listen to the story in the Learning Commons with Ms. Wagner between January 5-14.
Step 2
Research, brainstorm, and plan!
- Use your Cardboard City Planning Sheet and plan what you will create for our cardboard city.
Grade Level Cardboard City Assignments
Kindergarten:
- Any structure related to city safety and security: fire station, police station, hospital, ambulance, police car, police helicopter, fire truck, tornado warning tower etc.
First Grade:
- Any structure related to city green spaces and recreation: Rec center, zoo, botanical garden, park equipment, water park slides, etc
Second Grade:
- Any structure related to commerce or business: grocery store, clothing store (Target, Walmart), hotel (Gaylord Texan, Great Wolf Lodge), Aquarium, LEGOland,
Third Grade:
- Any structure related to city government or citizenship: bank, post office, city hall, library, school, etc.
Fourth Grade:
- Any structure related to energy sources or human living spaces: power plant, solar power, windmills, dam/ water turbines, houses, apartment buildings, etc. (4th graders are encouraged to add moving parts to their design)
Fifth Grade:
- Any structure related to transportation: big rig trucks, airplanes, train, airport, train depot, bus station, etc. (5th graders are encouraged to add moving parts to their design)
Step 3
- Take your Cardboard City planning sheet home, share your design with your family and gather your supplies.
- If you need help with supplies come to Ms. Wagner in the Learning Commons. She will let you shop in the Makerspace for cardboard and other things you might need.
- build the design you planned. Be sure to follow the constraints!
Cardboard City Challenge Constraints
- Use cardboard and recycled materials to build your design. The majority of your design must be made out of cardboard.
- Your cardboard city creation can be no larger than 12 inches by 18 inches
- Your design can be as tall as you want but it must be able to stand up by itself.
- 4th and 5th grade students are encouraged to add moving parts to their designs.