The article presents a metaphorical set of images that emerged from reflections on practice and the research gathered during that practice in an early childhood summer program. A metaphor is crafted of several blocks that "click together" as pieces of theory and practice intended to provide teachers and teacher educators with examples of success and failure for thinking about integrated, multicultural, and constructivist language arts curricula designed to enhance social and emotional learning and employ cultural knowledge(s). The authors introduce the concepts of "abstract realia" and "verbal mapping" as possible components of this type of curriculum.