The Built Environment: Frank Lloyd Wright Design Your Dream Home Challenge

 One of the challenges during the Architecture program is to have the students create, in a 3 dimensional manner, their dream home.  In order to do this, we learned a little about Frank Lloyd Wright and the homes he designed, and why his homes are so famous and endure.  As well, we looked at our needs...what do we like to do, and what is important to us.

 We looked at the design process, and planned, drew, and built our homes to scale, using a cardboard figure to represent size

 We created site plans with different angles

 We built our 3 dimensional plan using materials in class:  cardboard, model magic or plasticene,  staws. sticks, tubes, cards, tape, egg cartons, string

 Below, this student used cardboard and a glue gun to create a small scale home

This student, below, created a haunted house

Important elements in our dream homes were flat screen tv's, trampolines, couches, and soccer fields

This student created a hotel:

 

Students began the activity by writing about themselves: who will live in your house?  When?  

Then, they brainstormed a written list of verbs to complete the phrase, "In my house I need places and spaces to...."   (sleep, work cook, store things, grow things, etc)  "So I will design a ......."  (sleeping loft, kitchen closet, greenhouse, painting room, etc.)

My goal is to have the students design and create, and think as they go along, and modify and strategize....during the process, I had many students say:

"How will I get from one floor to the next..."

"How will keep this wall up?"

"Where will I put....?"

"What can I use for windows?" 

"I'm thinking of using..."

The most important thing is that they were strategizing and using their hands to create things...often activities we don't have time for in the regular classroom (imagine doing this with 30 students....I was "exacto knife teacher" running around helping them cut things out as I did not allow them to use this contraption because it is too dangerous at this age!)

Then, we presented our projects to each other....they loved sharing their hard work and each student had their own ideas and different concepts on how to live in their dream home!  

This makes me want to design my own...

The Built Environment: Frank Lloyd Wright Design Your Dream Home Challenge

 One of the challenges during the Architecture program is to have the students create, in a 3 dimensional manner, their dream home.  In order to do this, we learned a little about Frank Lloyd Wright and the homes he designed, and why his homes are so famous and endure.  As well, we looked at our needs...what do we like to do, and what is important to us.

 We looked at the design process, and planned, drew, and built our homes to scale, using a cardboard figure to represent size

 We created site plans with different angles

 We built our 3 dimensional plan using materials in class:  cardboard, model magic or plasticene,  staws. sticks, tubes, cards, tape, egg cartons, string

 Below, this student used cardboard and a glue gun to create a small scale home

This student, below, created a haunted house

Important elements in our dream homes were flat screen tv's, trampolines, couches, and soccer fields

This student created a hotel:

 

Students began the activity by writing about themselves: who will live in your house?  When?  

Then, they brainstormed a written list of verbs to complete the phrase, "In my house I need places and spaces to...."   (sleep, work cook, store things, grow things, etc)  "So I will design a ......."  (sleeping loft, kitchen closet, greenhouse, painting room, etc.)

My goal is to have the students design and create, and think as they go along, and modify and strategize....during the process, I had many students say:

"How will I get from one floor to the next..."

"How will keep this wall up?"

"Where will I put....?"

"What can I use for windows?" 

"I'm thinking of using..."

The most important thing is that they were strategizing and using their hands to create things...often activities we don't have time for in the regular classroom (imagine doing this with 30 students....I was "exacto knife teacher" running around helping them cut things out as I did not allow them to use this contraption because it is too dangerous at this age!)

Then, we presented our projects to each other....they loved sharing their hard work and each student had their own ideas and different concepts on how to live in their dream home!  

This makes me want to design my own...

Turning Trash into Toys by Arvind Gupta

 

I love Ted Talks; I could watch and browse all day. 

One of my favourites is this post about turning trash into toys; how inspirational and exciting.  Mr. Gupta, can you teach me...

1.  To use recyclables to create imaginative toys?

2.  To get kids working with their hands and doing?

3.  To have our students appreciate the small and wonderful things they can design?

Turning Trash into Toys by Arvind Gupta

 

I love Ted Talks; I could watch and browse all day. 

One of my favourites is this post about turning trash into toys; how inspirational and exciting.  Mr. Gupta, can you teach me...

1.  To use recyclables to create imaginative toys?

2.  To get kids working with their hands and doing?

3.  To have our students appreciate the small and wonderful things they can design?

Architecture for Kids

A few pictures our our architecture program that was offered in January! Great work, everyone. I love the models and how each child created their own interpretation of a
"dream home".

Architecture for Kids

A few pictures our our architecture program that was offered in January! Great work, everyone. I love the models and how each child created their own interpretation of a
"dream home".

Sugar Cube Design

We looked at climate and geography in design. The challenge was for students to
design a place to stay in for one week in the Arctic.
We discussed the environment and addressed factors of freezing temperatures, westerly winds, and limited light.

The students each had 20 blocks of ice (20 sugar cubes), one bamboo pole (skewer), and one waterproof plastic tarp (square of black plastic bag, 10 inches by 10 inches).

Students drew a side view (elevation). Students each created their own design, or joined with other students to pool resources.

It was a great building activity using a small amount of resources!!!

This lesson was modified from Architecture for Kids 1997

Sugar Cube Design

We looked at climate and geography in design. The challenge was for students to
design a place to stay in for one week in the Arctic.
We discussed the environment and addressed factors of freezing temperatures, westerly winds, and limited light.

The students each had 20 blocks of ice (20 sugar cubes), one bamboo pole (skewer), and one waterproof plastic tarp (square of black plastic bag, 10 inches by 10 inches).

Students drew a side view (elevation). Students each created their own design, or joined with other students to pool resources.

It was a great building activity using a small amount of resources!!!

This lesson was modified from Architecture for Kids 1997

Why Architecture is such a great unit of study....

Using this wonderful resource created by the AIBC (Architecture Institute of British Columbia), I designed a unit on architecture, and you can do it too! This great resource provides many activities for K-7 students.

Students love it: design your own dream classroom, or your dream playground!

Why Architecture is such a great unit of study....

Using this wonderful resource created by the AIBC (Architecture Institute of British Columbia), I designed a unit on architecture, and you can do it too! This great resource provides many activities for K-7 students.

Students love it: design your own dream classroom, or your dream playground!

Architecturally Speaking

I am working with grade two and three students on a unit on architecture. This activity is great to do with children. Give them toothpicks and marshmallows and have them construct buildings or structures. These students created these dynamic structures on their own.

You can also preface the learning by teaching the students that triangles are the strongest structure, and have them begin with building triangles. However, it is great to have them experiment on their own!!!

Architecturally Speaking

I am working with grade two and three students on a unit on architecture. This activity is great to do with children. Give them toothpicks and marshmallows and have them construct buildings or structures. These students created these dynamic structures on their own.

You can also preface the learning by teaching the students that triangles are the strongest structure, and have them begin with building triangles. However, it is great to have them experiment on their own!!!