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Tiny Town Challenge

Writer: Jessica Meacham
Jessica Meacham
Jul 23, 2023
1 min read

Updated: Dec 31, 2025


In this challenge, students in grades K-5 work as a class to create six buildings for Tiny Town. The goal is to provide resources for community members, while making choices that are smart for the environment and community members (balance between businesses, resources, housing, and employment opportunities). Current events from our own communities help us to make connections as we make decisions.



You can alternately view the slide deck by clicking HERE!



Students were asked to incorporate a circuit to add light, movement, or sound to their building. We used a variety of circuitry components/resources including squishy circuits, circuit cubes, LittleBits, and traditional circuitry components (copper tape, coin batteries, and LED bulbs. Students in grades 4-5 researched switch types for their paper circuits in an effort to provide Family STEAM Night attendees a chance to activate their switch, giving their circuit a chance to be open (off) in an effort to conserve energy.


We showcase Tiny Town during Family STEAM Night. More pictures of this (along with the challenge resources) can be viewed and/or downloaded by clicking the arrow below.


A few changes will be made the next time we do this project (it is a once every six years challenge):

  • strict adherence to embellishment limit

  • pull tables apart to create islands for Tiny Town community, during Family STEAM Night

  • create smaller K-2 buildings (create size check anchor charts for students to utilize

  • incorporate laser cutting technology for Tiny Town signage

  • incorporate green screen technology by having student groups create decision videos of group members in front of their building (inviting Family STEAM Night attendees to come see their building)


85 Comments


Jankowice community education
8 hours ago

I can see why encouraging learning through local participation would invite discussion, since different people will bring different experiences to the same question. Taking part in a local activity can give a classroom topic a practical purpose. I would keep that thought nearby when looking for ideas about Jankowice community education. I do not have a settled view yet, but this seems like a good place to slow down and look more closely. How could a school invite families into a project without making participation difficult?

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local classified advertisement
a day ago

My first thought about writing clear and useful local advertisements is that the everyday experience deserves as much attention as the larger explanation. Specific descriptions can save both the reader and the advertiser a round of basic questions. This is why I would approach local classified advertisements with a specific question rather than a fixed expectation. A short discussion of an everyday example would make this easier for me to connect with, especially as someone still learning about the subject. Which details should always appear in a short local listing?

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practical language learning
a day ago

My first thought about learning languages through everyday situations is that the everyday experience deserves as much attention as the larger explanation. A familiar situation can give new words a purpose beyond memorisation. That is the kind of detail I would keep in mind while exploring practical language learning. I can imagine different answers depending on the situation, so I would want to understand the context before drawing conclusions. How would you practise vocabulary so that it becomes easier to use in conversation?

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digital storytelling technique
a day ago

What interests me about telling meaningful stories with digital media is how a broad idea becomes part of an ordinary day. The order of images and words can change how an audience understands a story. For me, that is a useful way into the broader subject of digital storytelling techniques. I would probably come back to this question after trying to work through one concrete example rather than deciding immediately. How do you decide which details belong in a short digital story?

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tourist itinerary planning
a day ago

When it comes to using a tourist guide to plan a flexible trip, I would rather understand one useful detail properly than rush through a long list of ideas. A useful guide should help visitors understand distances and pacing as well as major attractions. That is the kind of detail I would keep in mind while exploring tourist itinerary planning. I would be interested in a simple example, because it is often the ordinary details that make an idea memorable. What would you check before turning a list of places into a day plan?

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