Curricular Resources > 1993 Volume I > Unit 3 (93.01.03) > Section 11

The Symbolic Language of Architecture and Public Monuments

CONTENTS OF CURRICULUM UNIT 93.01.03

Unit Guide

Play on Architecture

Bill Derry

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SAMPLE LESSON PLAN #4

TEACHING MODES
Drama

PURPOSE:

To provide a medium through which students can demonstrate their learning to themselves and others. (See Goals I-IV, and Objectives 1-5.)
To provide a culminating event for the unit.

ACTIVITIES:
A final production, “Play on Architecture,” will be produced by the students. There will be 15 different dances and/or stories to go with each of the buildings/locations studied. The following “script” is an outline which will be further developed by the students in response to the selected pieces of architecture. It is designed as a way to get started, and can be scrapped in favor of a more relevant idea.

OPENING: [(A) narrator(s), (possibly a Greek chorus). Some students will act out parts of the narration. Slides of Wexler school will be projected to illustrate many points made during the narration.]

NARRATOR: We have been learning about architecture. Architecture is the art or science of building. We are surrounded by architecture. Architecture makes us feel something. It can make us feel cold, excited, happy, alone, connected, angry, or surprised. Buildings are like our bodies.

They have a front and a back, a face or facade, a foundation or footing, a heart or hearth, a place to keep our memories (the attic or library), a place to store old things (the basement), a place like the brain (in the school it would be the central office),...We have journeyed through New Haven to determine how architecture makes us feel, how it moves us, how it is like an extension of our bodies. These are imaginary scenes that we have created in response to several buildings.

[Slides will be projected on screens, students will then dance and/or perform a scene for each piece of architecture.]

NARRATOR: Our journey is complete. We have studied the art of architecture. We have also learned something of the science of architecture. We have added the following words to our vocabulary:

[The vocabulary listed in OBJECTIVES 3 and 4, will be illustrated with slides, and with appropriate movement by students.]

NARRATOR: We end our journey. We have learned that architecture is an art and a science. Architecture’s relationship to the human body is very important. Buildings are extensions of the human body. Although each piece of architecture has something in common with other pieces of architecture, each is a unique creation because of its special place in space, and its particular time of creation. Most importantly, architecture makes us feel. It can make us feel centered or off center, happy or sad, close or far away, content or discontent, part of “it” or separate from “it”, open to communication or closed to communication. We hope that our play has had an impact on you.

NAME:___________________________________________________

PLAY ON ARCHITECTURE WORKSHEET

NAME OF THIS BUILDING, LOCATION, AND/OR MONUMENT:_________________

THIS BUILDING MAKES ME FEEL: (Circle all that apply.)

Happy	Sad	Angry	Excited	Lonely	Welcome	Greedy
Proud	Good	Small	Big	Surprised	Unwelcome	Frightened

OTHER FEELINGS:____________________________________________

STYLE OF THIS BUILDING: (Circle all that apply.)

COLONIAL	CLASSICAL	FEDERAL	GEORGIAN	GOTHIC
GRECO-ROMAN	GREEK REVIVAL	MODERN	ROMANESQUE	TUTOR

VICTORIAN

I OBSERVED THE FOLLOWING: (Circle all that apply.)

ABACUS	ARCH	ARCHITRAVE	BASE	BEAM
CAPITAL	COLONNADE	COLUMN: CORINTHIAN, DORIC, IONIC
CORNICE	COURTYARD	DENTILS	DOME	DOORWAY
DORMER	EAVES	ENTABLATURE	FACADE	FLUTES
FOOTING	FOUNDATION	FRIEZE	HEARTH	KEYSTONE
MONUMENT	MOLDINGS	NICHE	PEDESTAL	PEDIMENT
PERGOLA	PILASTER	PORCH	PORTICO	PYLON

NOTES: (Continue on the back.)_________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

SKETCH THE FACADE OF THIS BUILDING ON THE ATTACHED PIECE OF PAPER

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