Friendsland. Campingland. Chickenland. They might sound like fantastical realms, but in the imaginations of Jen Ruston’s students at the George L. Cooke Elementary School, they are the epitome of utopia.
![two students are working on a project. They are writing on a piece of paper.](https://www.monticelloschools.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/IMG_3200-scaled.jpg)
After reading the book, Mattland, in which a young boy creates imaginary lands in his neighborhood with the help of his friends, Ms. Ruston put students into groups and had them work on creating their own “lands.”
![two students are crouched down on the floor and looking at a project they are working on with building blocks](https://www.monticelloschools.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/IMG_3227-scaled.jpg)
![two students are standing in front of another group of students. They are facing one another, and the two students are in the middle of presenting to the other group.](https://www.monticelloschools.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/IMG_3233-scaled.jpg)
The project was a fun way to integrate ELA, science, collaboration and public speaking skills – and even more importantly, an opportunity for students to flex their creativity and bring their imaginations to life.