All good science begins with observations. This curriculum unit is no exception. We will begin by exploring building styles throughout history and around the world. I realize that this is a very broad topic, but we will approach it looking for trends and common features. This piece of the observation will be done via a PowerPoint slide show. We will continue our observations by observing the architecture of the world around us. We are fortunate in that New Haven is a city rich in very diverse architecture. Finally, we will also observe how buildings are put together.
Building Styles: a history of architecture
Students at the eighth grade level need concrete examples to help them start on creative projects. In this case the concrete example to help the students design their gingerbread houses will be buildings as they have been built in the past. This serves several purposes. First, it introduces the idea that there are many ways to solve the fundamental problem of enclosing a hollow space. In order to live in a space, the area must be reasonably free of columns, walls and other support structures that might impede free movement of people and objects; hence it must be a hollow space. The challenge in building a space is this: any child can build a solid sand castle but the building task becomes more challenge when the interior space needs to be reasonable empty of support structures. This part of the unit will introduce the idea that there are many resolutions for this task.
Another reason to begin with this overview is that the students may be introduced to the vocabulary associated with architecture. Vocabulary is essential for comprehensible discussion of any topic. As such, vocabulary needs to be introduced as early as possible in any discussion, so it is begun here in this introduction. However, the specific vocabulary terms will be discussed in more detail later in this document.
The overview of architecture allows information to be presented using technology. Traditionally, this section probably would have involved slides, a slide project, a darkened room, and a droning voice. The information does not have to be presented this way, though. In my case, I will put together an electronic slide show. If this is done properly, students will be able to go through the captioned images at their own pace and possibly even at home, for the students on bedrest. Ideally, this slide show can be done using local buildings as examples, which will help show the relevance of this study by connecting architectural concepts to local landmarks. Incidentally, if you have technology use requirements for your classroom, this is one way to meet them. By allowing students to go through the information on their own, I solve two problems: differentiation of instruction, and the issue of students working on different sections of the unit at different times.
As always, this section of the unit will require some sort of assessment. In this case, the assessment will take two forms. The students will have a vocabulary sheet which they will be expected to update as the vocabulary terms come up in class, and the students will be expected to start a sketch book showing various styles or pieces of buildings that interest them. This sketch book will continue with our walk. The vocabulary sheet will be checked for progress a few times per week. The sketch book will be assessed in a similar manner.
Neighborhood Walking Activity
The neighborhood in which our school is situated is very interesting in its diversity of architecture. We are located on a park which is surrounded primarily by residences. However, there are two major exceptions. The first exception is our school. The second is a large church. Both of these buildings provide several architectural elements which are different from the other buildings in our neighborhood. All of this means that we can see a wide array of architecture without walking more that a block. However, if the nature of a class allows for a longer walk, (sometimes there are medical issues that prohibit longer walks), we are only a few blocks from downtown New Haven, which has a wealth of architecture as well. This walk is an activity that could be adapted to most urban settings, but which might be a bit more complicated in a suburban or rural setting.
Essentially, this activity consists of observing buildings in situ. There is a fair amount that can be learned from a picture of a building, but the picture can not necessarily show you that a front is a false front, or that a porch is made of a composite material, not real wood, etc. Seeing a building in situ allows the students to see much more. This activity will allow students to see that buildings are part of the environment around them. They will be able to see what happens to materials in shady areas that might not happen to the same materials in sunny areas. This activity will allow the students to see how tree roots can push up side walks and crack masonry walls. All of the students' observations will be recorded in the students' sketch books. This walk will also allow students to develop a visual reference containing the ways that different building materials are used and how they are joined.
Building Materials
The choice of building material is one of the most important decisions made in the construction of a building, or any other large object. This decision determines many of the limitations of a project. For example, a building made of stone will need to be built on a foundation that can hold the weight of the stone. A building with glass walls will have to account for sunlight in a different way than a building made of primarily brick walls would. Buildings made of old oil drums in the Caribbean are uncomfortably hot because of the nature of the metal drums. Similar Caribbean buildings made of adobe are far more comfortable. All of these types considerations are essential in the planning process.
In this part of the unit, students will be observing the types of materials that are being used for various parts of the buildings we will see on our walks and in the electronic slide show. For example, the students will observe the types of materials being used for roofs, doors, or siding.
There are several reasons for these observations. First, the observations provide concrete examples which illustrate the many ways there are to solve common architectural problems. For example, there are many ways to create an entrance to a building. Some ways present an imposing "keep out" sort of feeling. Other ways may present an inviting "welcome" sort of feeling. The students will be expected to record their reactions to some of the different solutions they encounter on our walks.
Second, the observations provide concrete examples which illustrate that more than one type of material is used in almost every building. The combination of materials is another important decision in building construction because a good combination will make a building stronger. A poor choice will weaken the overall structure. The students need to understand that different materials are chosen to do different jobs in a structure because of the particular strengths of the different materials. We will look at this more fully in the experimentation section of this unit, but the students will be making some observations about why they think certain materials are frequently chosen for particular parts of the building. Later they will consider the implications of the choices they observe and apply the implications of their observations to their own decisions about material choices for their gingerbread houses.
Finally, the students will also observe how the materials in the buildings they are observing are attached to one another. For example, students will try to figure out how a wooden window is inserted into a brick wall. These observations will be useful later when the students build their own houses.
Architectural Vocabulary
Vocabulary is essential to carrying on a conversation about any topic. In science it is especially necessary because scientist tend to use a very specialized vocabulary, with very specialized meanings to the words. Architects also have a very specialized vocabulary. My students tend to enter school with an impoverished vocabulary, so even at the highest levels of my classes it is necessary to do some vocabulary building exercises with the students. In this case, the words will be terms used to describe architecture. We will look at the names for different styles of buildings, but we will also look at names for the different parts of buildings. Part of the reason for this insistence on proper names is that the students will then be able to describe the buildings they wish to build.
The students will have a list of vocabulary, but it will not be a traditional list with definitions copied from the dictionary. Architecture is a visual medium, so the vocabulary list will have big empty spaces after the words, so that students can sketch and describe the style or building part being discussed. At the end of this unit, in the appendix, you will find a list of words which will be used with the students.