Welcome to Liebmanville, where the residents are cute, the community is intentional, and there’s even a puppy store!
In units 5 and 6 of Open Court — “Home Sweet Home” and “Our Country, Our Culture” — students explored homes from around the world as part of the social studies curriculum. To close out the unit, the class engaged in group discussions comparing and contrasting homes and buildings in our local community with those in communities around the globe. These conversations naturally led to an extension into understanding how businesses operate and the difference between providing goods, services, or both.
With the support of Cooke Art Teacher Lisa Baisley, this learning inspired the creation of the Box Top Store Project. Each student selected a type of store they were interested in designing for the newly-incorporated classroom town, “Liebmanville.” Students began by brainstorming and sketching their ideas on paper, carefully planning the design of their store while also identifying whether it would provide a product, a service, or both.
After completing their initial designs, students transformed their plans into three-dimensional creations. This hands-on process allowed their ideas to come to life in a tangible way. The project spanned over five weeks, giving students time to thoughtfully design, build, revise, and refine their work.
At the conclusion of the project, students presented their finished box creations to their peers, sharing details about their stores and the goods or services they offer. To celebrate their learning, students also participated in a community free build, where they used blocks to collaboratively construct and expand Liebmanville in creative and imaginative ways.