Title of Lesson: Homes Around the World - Exterior

Teacher: Zoe Nelson

School: PVO

Grade Level[s]: 4/5

Date to be Taught: 3/15/18

Big Idea that drives Lesson/Unit:

We spend our lives surrounded by buildings and spaces, so why should they not be beautiful? Architecture
shapes the way we see, what we see, and how we see it. Exploring architecture of the past can inform our
designs of the future. We will consider how different aspects of design can influence the functions of a
building and the way people move throughout it. We define our favorite spaces to be in by the way they
make us feel, and we will look at how to recreate our favorite spaces and elevate them with design.

Key concepts about Big Idea:

● House exteriors range in complexity and detail
● Different styles are significant to different regions
● Houses can reflect/morph into their settings or contrast them

Fine Arts Goals Met by the Objectives:

● VA:Cn10.1.5a Apply formal and conceptual vocabularies of art and design to view surroundings in new ways through art-making.
● VA:Cr2.3.5a Identify, describe, and visually document places and/or objects of personal significance.

3-4 Essential Questions:

● How do we use geographic location to inform our design of the exterior?
● What color is best for the exterior of your home and why?
● What makes the outside of a home beautiful?
● What elements from other buildings we’ve looked at have you seen in homes?
● Why is the design of a home important?
● Should we consider homes art?

Vocabulary Acquisition:
● Arch - a curved symmetrical structure spanning an opening and typically supporting the weight of a bridge, roof, or wall above it.
● symmetry - the quality of being made up of exactly similar parts facing each other or around an axis.
● column - ionic, doric, corinthian - an upright pillar, typically cylindrical and made of stone or concrete, supporting an entablature,
arch, or other structure or standing alone as a monument.
● Courtyard - an unroofed area that is completely or mostly enclosed by the walls of a large building.
● Facade - the face of a building, especially the principal front that looks onto a street or open space
● Masonry - stonework
● Shutters - each of a pair of hinged panels, often louvered, fixed inside or outside a window that can be closed for security or privacy or
to keep out light

Key Artistic Concepts:

● setting/background that defines the space
● inclusion of architecture elements
● logical planning in design

Artmaking Materials Needed:

● Pencil
● Paper
● Colored pencil
● Marker
 ● Construction paper - all colors and sizes
● Gluesticks

Contemporary/Historical/Multicultural exemplars:\
Colonial

Beach

French

Victorian

Ranch
Southwestern

Cabin

Procedures:
● DISCUSSION: (10 minutes)
○ Go through different pictures of houses and talk about the different styles and their key elements
○ Discuss how we view homes in our daily lives
○ What makes a house beautiful or interesting?
○ Are homes art?
○ We will be designing our own homes and drawing for different locations, so you might get desert, beach,
mountains, city, woods, countryside, farm, etc.)
● DEMONSTRATIONS: (5 minutes)
○ Show teacher made exemplars
○ Show Historical/Multicultural exemplars - give handout with the different home styles on them for reference
○ Show how to use construction paper create depth
■ Layering according to what is closest to viewer
■ Cutting out big shapes first and overlaying the details
■ Drawing on the finest details that can’t be cutout
■ Selecting colors that contrast each other so details are noticeable
● DESIGN/WORK SESSION: ( 20 minutes)
○ have students select cards with different settings (and the climate) written on them and allow them to trade if desired
○ think about the defining aspects of the setting you got
○ You do not have to use a particular style, but instead you could morph a few together to create your own
○ select 3 architecture elements you want to use in your design
○ sketch out your exterior
○ cut out the largest pieces of your house to lay on your background
○ continue to layer shapes as you add more details
○ do any fine detail with markers or colored pencil
● CLEAN UP: (3 minutes)
○ Return the pencils to the cup
○ Return markers to the case with the right colors
○ Collect glue sticks
○ Put any small scraps in the trash and construction paper back in a pile
● CLOSURE: (8 minutes)
○ Don’t worry if you didn’t finish your exterior, we will continue to work on them next time and start on our floor
plan blueprints
○ Knowing what goes into house design and planning can help us appreciate the structures we pass everyday
○ A lot goes into planning and designing a house