Architecture Has Made Us Great
HOW IT WORKS
Architecture Has Made Us Great is an
interdisciplinary project that helps students become
more aware of the architectural environment
around them, thereby enriching the Social
Studies curriculum as well as their own cultural
appreciation. In the classroom, architectural
terminology is defined and then viewed during
neighborhood walks. The students participate in hands-on
experiments to help them learn about such scientific
concepts as force, push, pull, leveraging, and
support. A teacher-made research packet helps
the class become aware of historic sights as
the Great Wall of China, Stonehenge, the Taj
Mahal, and the Parthenon. Students then ‘adopt’ a building in New
York City and, with the aid of the computer, go on virtual tours of the
historic buildings and research the buildings
they are investigating. Students turn in photos taken of themselves
at their adopted building and of the
architectural elements they view. These photos, along
with their research, are then turned into a class
video with a class-written theme song. The
culminating activity of the program involves the
creative use of art material and their newly
acquired knowledge to construct their own
skyscraper of the future.
THE STUDENTS
Architecture Has Made Us Great is designed
for a fourth-grade class with gifted students.
However, it can easily be adapted to include
ELL students, Resource Room children, and students with average abilities
as part of any Social Studies curriculum. The various activities
in this program are ideal for whole-group instruction, small cooperative
groups, and individual tasks.
THE STAFF
Pamela Gillman-Levit has taught in the New
York City public school system for thirty-three
years. She has taught all levels of students and
is currently teaching in the Sigma program in
District 21. Her long association with Project
Smart and B.A.C.A. has helped to inspire this
interdisciplinary program.
WHAT YOU NEED
This program requires at least ten class periods
to complete. Teacher-made copies of the
Historical Architecture Coloring Book can be
furnished upon request. A computer with Internet
connection, a digital camera, and video camera
are necessary. Word-processing skills and a
familiarity with Internet resources and
researching is vital to the completion of the program.
The following sites were useful in the creation
of the program:
www.digital city.com
www.enchantedlearning.com/greatwall
www.london.com/tower
OVERALL VALUE
The great buildings and structures of the world
around us are representative and indicative of
our cultural growth and development. This highly motivational program provides a
meaningful experience that enables students to
become acquainted with architecture.
Architecture Has Made Us Great provides captivating
images and information about structures near
and far as students learn to appreciate their
surroundings and begin to understand the world
that they live in. This program will underscore
the relationships between architecture,
language arts, science, art, and a greater world
understanding. Students will leave this program
challenged, enriched, and encouraged to explore the world around them.
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