I.
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Students will take pictures of their school, their homes/apartments, or any dwelling of their choice. Pictures will be developed by the teacher or at school in the arts component of the school. Students will use home-made cameras or students will be provided with disposable ones.
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II.
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Students will be placed in teams of three and four and asked to:
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a.
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Generally describe the picture.
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b.
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List the items in the picture from large to small.
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c.
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Note the shape of the building, and the shapes formed within the structure.
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d.
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Note colors of the buildings (external), and determine which colors are strongest and which are considered weakest.
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e.
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Describe the textures of the structure as seen in the picture.
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f.
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Describe the life of the people who live in the structure. What would it be like to live in such a family? or What is it like to attend school in this building?
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g.
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All material generated in activities a-f will be written up in composition form. Initially this task will be a group activity directed by the teacher. It will become an independent activity as students’ skills improve.
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III.
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Concurrently, vocabulary and definitions will be generated in the areas of architecture, natural resources and environment.
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IV.
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Students will visit the Peabody Museum to study the American Indian Exhibit, and take walking tours to view historic structures in the New Haven area.
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V.
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When visiting 18th, 19th, and 20th century structures, students will be expected to complete steps a-f found in strategy II. All observations will be kept in individual journals, as will vocabulary lists.
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VI.
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Vocabulary will be placed on flash cards, words on one side, definitions on the other, for ongoing review and reinforcement.
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VII.
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As students progress from each region or timeframe, they will build models of the dwellings being studied. Homemade or recycled materials will be used in the construction when depicting 17th, 18th or 19th century structures/dwellings. Students will collectively build all models.
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VIII.
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At every opportunity, the environment and its natural resources, coupled with the prevailing culture, will be discussed as it relates to building. Information and observations will be recorded in journals.
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