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Architecture the Wright Way

Created By: Melissa Netznik, Lincoln Magnet School (Springfield, IL)
Grade Level: 8th
Content Area: Visual Art
Database Integration: Students will utilize the TDC database to search for famous buildings in Illinois. They will compare architectural elements and artifacts within the buildings. These will also be compared to Frank Lloyd Wright's designs, which they'll be studying in their art class.


Illinois Learning Standards Achieved

Standard Achieved

Activity that Meets this Standard

FINE ARTS - Visual/Eighth Grade
Goal 26:Through creating and performing, understand how works of art are produced.

Learning Standard B: Create and/or perform in on or more of the arts.

Students will design their own room after researching architecture and famous buildings in Illinois using various reference materials, including such resources as the TDC database.

FINE ARTS - Visual/Eighth Grade
Goal 27: Understand the role of the arts in civilizations, past and present.

Learning Standard A: Describe the role of the arts in civilizations, past and present.

 Students will complete a series of stations during which they will research architecture and compare architectural elements and styles from various time periods.

LANGUAGE ARTS/ Eighth Grade
Goal 5: Use the language arts to acquire, assess, and communicate information.

Learning Standard A: Locate, organize and analyze information from various sources to answer questions, solve problems, and communicate ideas.

Learning Standard B: Apply acquired information, concepts, and ideas to communicate a variety of fomats.

 Upon completion of their research and their room design, students will write a descriptive paragraph about their own room design. They will discuss architectural elements included in their design and point out any similarities between their own design and those elements found in Wright's architecture.


Materials:


Procedures:

  1. Students will be introduced to architecture and Frank Lloyd Wright's designs in their art class. Teachers will build background utilizing video tapes, reference books, and Internet sites, including the TDC database.
  2. Teams of students will rotate through a variety of stations to learn about architecture and Frank Lloyd Wright's designs in their art class. Each student will complete a research grid during these stations. The stations will include Internet sites, CD-ROMs, reference books, a photo station, and the TDC database.
  3. While at the TDC database station, students will access the database and complete the section on their research grid about architecture. They will search for famous buildings in Illinois and record information on their grid about the buildings that they locate, the architectural elements, and the artifacts found on the database.
  4. Students will make comparisons between the styles of architecture from different time periods and record these on their research grid.
  5. After completing the stations, the class will discuss the information found on the database.
  6. As a culminating activity, students will utilize the background knowledge obtained during their research and design their own room, which will contain many of the architectural elements they've learned about during the unit. The CD-ROM Design Your Own Home will be used for the students' designs.
  7. Students will write a descriptive paragraph about their design and present these to the class.

Assessment:

The students' research grid and room designs will be evaluated using a rubric and predetermined criteria. Their written description of their design will also be assessed. The rubric will be shared with students prior to the beginning of the project to ensure that they are aware of expectations.