Victorian Architecture with Middle School - Gingerbread Houses

For my middle-schoolers architecture unit, I decided to concentrate on the Victorian era.  It's close to winter break so I've chosen our drawings to be gingerbread houses!

I've stolen some images from the Internet and put together a PowerPoint presentation to show the class.  

The PowerPoint shows images of Victorian Style gingerbread houses, and real gingerbread houses.  It also lists some of the architectural attributes of Victorian homes that I want the kids to learn.

I also made a handout with directions and key vocabulary.  It includes the rubric for this lesson as well.

Here is the first video where I show how I drew the project.  This demonstrates how they should start with simple shapes then add detail.

Here is the second video where I paint the gingerbread house with watercolor.

Draft Folder Clean-up: Block Architecture

This was an awesome project I did earlier this year to start my architecture unit with 1st grade.  The kiddos built block structures at their table with sets of Architecture Blocks.  Then they drew them.  So cute!  Then, each table got a ton of pre-cut black paper pieces and they had to "build" a new structure on a paper and glue it down. My favorite part was when they were drawing.  They looked awesome.

K-2 Complete Substitute Lesson - "Candy House" available to download.

I published a book full of 12 complete lessons an art teacher can just leave on her desk with little to no prep for a sub.  It hasn't been getting much action - which I think is ridiculous!  This is the best thing ever written for an art teacher.
I know, I'm completely biased, and the years and hours I've spent putting this masterpiece together skews my thinking....but I called in for a sub about a week ago at 5:00am.  Then, I just rolled over and went back to sleep.  My sub plans were done!  When I got back to school the next day, my room was clean and I could tell my students had been busy.  My amazing book just sits at the corner of my desk always ready.  You should seriously think about getting a copy.

At any rate, it occurred to me that these lessons could also be great for homeschool parents, and classroom teachers who want to turn their craft time into art time.  I have begun putting each lesson from "The Art Teacher's Substitute Notebook:  K-2 Lessons" on TeachersPayTeachers individually.

Now available for download, "Candy House."  It's a sweet little architecture lesson complete with step-by-step directions and a colorfully illustrated brainstorming page.  It can be left on a desk for sub or taught by a non art person in a non art setting, The student will learn and the results will be great.

 I do have several free sub resources on this page too (so maybe that's where everyone is getting their plans!)  Either way - be prepared for your sub!
Thanks!

Artist Statements: A brainstorming worksheet and easy Artsonia upload.

Fifth grade just finished up their Imagine a Building lesson.  They studied and discussed several examples of architecture and were charged with designing their own unique structure.
At the completion of the project each student filled out an Artists Statement worksheet in their sketchbooks.  This worksheet was designed to get students thinking and talking about their art.  It's one of the Common Core Standards!
I uploaded the photos to Artsonia.  During centers time, students used the student computer to enter their statements.  I was so impressed with some of the things they said about their process and work.  We will definitely be doing this more often.

Frankentecture - Constructed Architecture, fourth grade sketchbook assignment and clip card in School Arts!

I opened my SchoolArts magazine to find my clip card for my sketchbook lesson Frankentecture had been published!  That was pretty exciting!

Frankentecture is part of a unit on 19th century architecture I teach my fourth graders.  I wrote a little bit more about it in my classroom blog .  Before I even knew about the SchoolArts article, my current fourth graders completed the assignment and they turned out great!

Interior of a House: Brainstorming handout.

Just like the Exterior of a House handout, here is a quick reference for the Interior of a House.

A quick lesson on interior and exterior is to have kids fold a paper and make the outside the exterior, and the inside of the paper the interior.  This little page gets them brainstorming all the things that belong on the inside, all the rooms they need to include, all the furniture, and all the little details.

Exterior of a House: Brainstorming handout.

A great lesson for primary students to learn a little about architecture is to have them build or draw an exterior of a home.

Your class knows what belongs on the outside of a home, but they do not always know how to draw it.  I usually have them call things out and I draw them on the board for them to reference later.

That doesn't always work.  Some classes perhaps can not handle that experience.  That is why I drew up this Exterior of a House brainstorming handout.  It's not the prettiest.  I know I did it just before a class came to see me, but it has the basics.  The kids always have better ideas then what I drew, and that is exactly what it is for!

Chicago Cityscapes - Third Grade lesson plan

Supplies
•cool colored construction paper, 12 x16, 12 x 14, 12 x 6
•dark or black construction paper 12 x 18
•pencils
•erasers
•scissors
•glue
•silver Sharpie markers
•color sticks

Which overused moniker can I start this article with?  My kind of town?  That toddlin’ town?  The Windy City, the Second City? They do all fit the beautiful city of Chicago.  It so happens that I have the pleasure of teaching just eight miles or so west of the City with Big Shoulders.  Even though on a clear day we can see The Willis Tower - formally the Sears Tower just down the street from our school many of my students are not very familiar with the architectural history of Chicago.  In fact they know little about the city at all.  Many students do not even realize how close to the city we actually are.

I like to begin this lesson by showing a bunch of different photographs of unique buildings and landmarks in Chicago.  I purposely choose buildings and sculptures that I know the students have seen before or have an fascinating story behind them.  The buildings are not always the most interesting architecturally.  One objective is for the student to be able to name buildings they otherwise never thought of.  I secretly hope that one day they are on their way to a Cubs game when they call out from the back seat “Hey!  That’s the Harold Washington Library!  We learned about that in Art Class!” 

While looking at the photographs we discuss some architectural characteristics.  We talk about the height of the skyscrapers and the differences between the 100 year old buildings and the modern buildings.  We also talk briefly about the ornamentation and we even discuss buildings that are currently being built.

We begin the art production portion of this lesson by reviewing our parts of composition.  I explain to the class that our cityscape is going to be broken down into three parts; a background, middle ground and foreground.  We begin with the background.  Each student is asked to draw four recognizable buildings from the city of Chicago on a 12” x 16” piece of blue construction paper.  Usually we draw small things in the background, because they are so far away, but I explain to the class that with our cityscape we are going to draw the largest items in the background because they will appear small.  Students are able to look at photographs of the Chicago buildings for reference as they draw.  Those drawings are then traced with black or silver permanent marker and colored with color sticks.

Next, we start our middle ground. Each student receives a slightly smaller piece of violet paper, 12” x 14”.  They are then asked to choose four more recognizable buildings from the city of Chicago.  These buildings shouldn’t be skyscrapers but rather medium in size.  Theaters, Sports Stadiums and smaller Students once again trace with marker and color.  I encourage the students to use bright “crazy” colors and not get hung up on making the cityscapes colors look real.

Now students are ready for the foreground.  These objects are closest to the viewer and appear large.  However, for this lesson in reality they are the smaller things found around the city. Students receive a 12” x 6” piece of green construction paper and they need to draw four recognizable buildings or landmarks found in Chicago.  There are so many wonderful small landmarks, outside statues and parks, I must admit the foreground is my favorite part!  Once the foreground is colored we get out the silver permanent markers and add a little shine to our layers.

Finally, we are ready to assemble each piece.  Students will very carefully cut out their buildings and then glue their layers to a 12” x 18” piece of black construction paper.  Starting with their blue background, violet middle ground, then green foreground.

I know not all cities have an exciting architectural birth like a ravenous fire that engulfed nearly every single building in the 1870s.  Started by a cow no less!  But all cities have buildings and landmarks that have an interesting story behind them or are recognizable easily by the students.  I figure that is how this lesson is adaptable for classes anywhere learning about cityscapes and tying in local architecture. 

I have taught this lesson for many years and it remains a staple  or a favorite.  Students always have great success and are surprised at how well they can draw the buildings.

Here are some artsonia galleries from previous years:
http://www.artsonia.com/museum/gallery.asp?exhibit=579714
http://www.artsonia.com/museum/gallery.asp?exhibit=518715
http://www.artsonia.com/museum/gallery.asp?exhibit=338783
http://www.artsonia.com/museum/gallery.asp?exhibit=291168

Frank Lloyd Wright Home & Studio, Robie House teacher packet

The Frank Lloyd Wright Preservation Trust provides this fantastic packet for teachers.  The packet provides information on visiting the Frank Lloyd Wright Home and Studio in Oak Park, IL or the Robie House in Chicago.

The background information is nice and concise.  You can learn a little about each building and Wright's inspirations.  It also lists other resources on Wright that are available.  It further explores the relationship of Wright's architecture to the Victorian style.

One of my favorite parts is the list of vocabulary words and definitions.  This is a great resources for any student studying architecture!

There is also a nice letter from Llewelyn Wright that is pretty interesting.

When my fourth graders were studying Frank Lloyd Wrights Art Glass, I found another very helpful packet online.  You can read more about it in my earlier post.

Frank Lloyd Wright's Art Glass.

I was looking for a nice introduction to Frank Lloyd Wright's art glass this morning for my fourth graders.  I came across this nice packet put together by the Chicago Architecture Foundation.  A great in depth resource that my students could understand.
Frank Lloyd Wright's Art Glass