3.
Students will collect as much statistical and historical
data as possible. They will need to describe the location
and infrastructure using as many geometrical terms as possible
(adjacent, parallel, similar, etc.).
4.
Students will be encouraged to take pictures (Digital cameras
will be available for use as needed).
5.
As an opening activity, students will write a reflection
in the form of a poem or a short story on their experiences
when visiting the architectural structure. They will use
the three guided questions. This will start the brainstorming
process to generate student writing.
6.
These reflections will be shared with the class and displayed
in a gallery style.
Activity
Two
1. Students will keep all statistical data and other significant
observations in a journal.
2. Students will conduct interviews (if applicable) in regard
to their assigned architectural structure. They will be
responsible for setting up the interview and creating interview
questions.
3. Students will be urged to complete a PowerPoint presentation
(program software and computers being provided) on their
architectural structure, giving historical background and
significant statistical data. They will write a personal
reflection on how the structure is relevant to Atlanta,
Georgia.
4. Students will reconstruct a replica of the structure
using artistic materials and their creativity (Some supplies
will be provided).
5. Students will also be encouraged to brainstorm and identify
the underlying, hidden, or ignored components of city and/or
community infrastructures (e.g. Why is the structure still
in existence today? Is the structure given the attention
it deserves in the Atlanta area?).
Assessment
1. Essay
2. Replica creation
3. Portfolio
4. PowerPoint presentation
5. Personal reflection
Student
artifact
“This
Old Building”
This
old building may smell at times,
And
has a few leaks,
But
as we get closer and closer
To
the end of school,
It
seems that we’re getting further
And
further away from this old school.
This
old building has lost its touch,
It’s
been through almost everything,
We’ve
had our laughs and our tears
But
next year we’ll have the new building,
It
won’t have that homey touch or all the memories in it,
But
over the next fifty years,
It’ll
have as many memories as this old building.
As
we say good bye,
We’ll
have our laughs and tears,
But
we’ll always remember where Lindley came from,
You’ve
been good you old building.
--
Scarlett
Teacher
reflection
Scarlett
researched the historical impact of our former school building.
The original location of our school has changed this school
year, and we are in a brand new building. She decided to
write a reflection in the form of a poem about the old location
that had been Lindley Middle School since 1965. This poem
was written towards the last days of school at the old location.
Scarlett’s
discovery about her school is but one example of an undeniable
fact: the history of the metro-Atlanta community is very
rich and significant. Many of the historical infrastructures
contribute to the sustainability of our southern city.
Who
can imagine driving down Peachtree Street and not seeing
the Margaret Mitchell house or walking on the campus of
the Atlanta University Center without noticing the immaculate
home of Alonzo Herndon? In the same manner, each community
has architectural structures that contribute to its sustainability.
I
teach at Lindley Middle School in Mableton, Georgia.
Many students are third-generation residents of this growing
city. Students truly enjoyed researching the cultural aspects
of the infamous Mable House and even their own school.
They were stunned to discover that their school was once
the home of a local high school.
By
engaging students, I was able to integrate mathematics and
writing into a real-world application that implemented rigor
and relevance. Scarlett’s reflection was included in an
anthology created by her peers and was selected to be read
by our principal on the school announcements.
I
had fun observing my students reconstruct and research various
architectural structures. We not only incorporated measurement
and number sense concepts, but I also encouraged students
to write. Most importantly, the students had fun throughout
the process and I can’t wait to implement the lesson again.
Curricular
Crossing:
By
Linda Templeton, East Paulding High School, Dallas,
Georgia
As
a colleague of Landon Brown in the KCAC community of teachers,
I read his lesson “Cityscapes: Architecture as Artifact.”
At first glance I was doubtful about how I could adapt it
to my classroom setting. After further review, however,
I realized that even though Landon teaches math---I teach
language arts--and even though he teaches middle school
students—I teach high school students--and even though his
students live near a metropolitan city—my students live
in a rural community--I can use his lesson plan with modifications.
Below I outline my adaptation of Landon’s lesson.
Objectives
1. Recognize how all participants are connected with the
local community.
2. Understand commonalities that we as humans, no matter
what our background may be, all share.
3. Construct a replica of an architectural structure using
mathematical concepts.
4. Write an essay on how an architectural structure is relevant
to a sustainable future for Dallas, Georgia.
5. Illustrate statistical data using an appropriate graph.
6. Write about the architectural structure using geometrical
terms.
The
math objectives above relate to my students because the
majority of them have had or are taking advanced mathematical
concepts—Algebra I and Geometry. Therefore, they will use
their math teachers as a resource for completion of this
project.
Activity
One
1. As an initial activity, my students will take a walking
field trip around downtown Dallas, making their own observations
and photographs. All students will visit the Paulding County
Historical Museum to gain historical knowledge of their
community. Students will select an architectural structure
from Dallas, Paulding County, Georgia
to research and visit. Students are encouraged to use the
Internet and to collect as many artifacts as possible (pictures,
testimonials, news articles, menus, etc.).
2. Students will collect as much statistical and historical
data as possible. They will need to describe the location
and infrastructure using as many geometrical terms as possible
(adjacent, parallel, similar, etc.).
3. Students will be encouraged to take pictures (Digital
camera will be available for use as needed, but not necessary).
4. As an opening activity, students will write a reflection
in the form of a poem, short story, etc. on their experiences
when visiting the architectural structure. They must use
the guiding questions listed above at #2. Reflections will
be shared and displayed.
Activity
Two
1.
Students will keep all statistical data and other significant
observations in a journal.
2.
Students will conduct interviews, if applicable, in regard
to their assigned architectural structure. They will be
responsible for setting up the interview and creating the
questions needed.
3.
Students will be urged to complete a PowerPoint presentation
on their architectural structure, giving historical background
and significant data.
4.
Students will write a personal reflection on how the structure
is relevant to Dallas, Paulding County, Georgia.
5.
Students will construct a replica of the structure using
artistic materials and their creativity (Some supplies will
be provided by teacher).
6.
Students will also be encouraged to brainstorm and identify
the underlying, hidden, or ignored components of community
infrastructures (i.e., Why is the structure still in existence
today? Is the structure given the attention it deserves
in Dallas?).
Assessment
1. Essay
2. Replica creation
3. Journal
4. PowerPoint presentation
5. Personal reflection
Teacher
reflection
As
a language arts teacher, I am required by the state standards
to teach research to my students. Traditionally the research
project has been attached to a piece of literature—novel,
poem, short story. The students must go to the library,
dig through books to find critical essays, write note cards,
bibliography cards, outline, rough draft, and final draft
within a three-four week period. They must then attempt
to formulate something that has not been written before.
Their end result is boring—for them and for me.
I
have done a community research project before, but Landon’s
format helps the students to recognize the importance of
the architectural structures within a community. I am able
to go one step further by connecting them to their community
through the utilization of the Paulding County Historical
Museum.
Of
course, as the teacher, I have further motives connected
to this activity. I hope that this project will establish
a sense of pride for my students, possibly creating community
activists. My goal is that they understand the importance
of protecting historical buildings in the future.
We
live in a rapidly changing community, and we are losing
some of our small-town status. With each new subdivision
and strip mall, we lose part of what makes us unique. Also,
by creating the PowerPoint presentation, maybe we can interest
the Paulding County Historical Museum, and they can use
the presentations as part of the museum.
I
am sure that when Landon created his math unit on architecture
he did not perceive that a language arts teacher could adapt
it so easily, but I really do think that he has created
a powerful model for any discipline.
