This lesson explores buildings of all kinds and their importance in creating a sense of community. Students take a neighborhood tour, identifying the functions of the buildings within it. Specific attention is given to the materials used and how they impact the buildings’ appearance and durability. Students then apply what they have learned by creating a community of buildings made from recycled materials.
- Wooden blocks, flexi-stix, architectural blocks, Lincoln Logs, and/or LEGOs
- Camera and film (optional)
- Tubes and small boxes such as shoe, cereal, and gift boxes; clean juice cartons (collected by students)
- Scissors
- Yarn
- Markers
- Crayons
- Colored construction paper
- Masking tape
- Glue
- The Little House by Virginia Lee Burton
- Alexander, Who’s Not (Do You Hear Me? I Mean It!) Going to Move by Judith Viorst
- Blank paper and lined paper
- Clipboards
Instructional Plan:
Divide students into groups of four. Give each group small building materials such as wooden blocks, flexi-sticks, architectural blocks, Lincoln Logs, or LEGOs. Tell students that they must work cooperatively to build a structure. Give students five minutes to plan and then five minutes to build.
When the groups have finished, have the class tour the structures. Ask students to consider the following questions as they observe the structures:
- Do any of the structures have roofs?
- Are any of the structures tall?
- Which structures look sturdy? Why?
- Do any of the structures look fragile or unsteady? Why?
- Is there any structure that really stands out because of the design?
- Does it seem like the builders built the structure with some function or purpose in mind? If so, what was it?
If desired, photograph the structures and record the builders, materials used, and function (if any) of the structure. After all are photographed, put away the small building materials.
Read The Little House by Virginia Lee Burton, the story of a country house that remains largely unchanged over time despite rapid development. More and more buildings are built around the little house, until ultimately, the house is abandoned between two skyscrapers and falls into disrepair. When the original owners’ great-granddaughter sees the plight of the little house, she moves it back out to the country and restores it.
As you read the story aloud, have students look at the illustrations and listen for information about buildings and communities. Discuss the story. Ask students, “What buildings are in the story? What is the function or purpose of each building? Record students’ responses on the board. Answers may include: a house, barn, roadside stand, gasoline station, apartments, drugstore, school, garage, store, train station, and/or skyscraper. Ask students to consider other buildings and their functions; give them 30 seconds to record their ideas. Invite volunteers to add to the list of buildings on the board.
Ask students to consider the following:
- What materials were used to build the Little House? (Brick, glass, shingles, and wood.)
- Is the Little House durable?
- How does she hold up under the weather elements and the changes around her? The structure still stands, but the paint is peeled and the windows are broken.)
- Do you think the Little House’s design is appropriate for the climate? Why or why not? (It snowed where the Little House was located. She had a hip roof — a roof that consists of four sloping planes that meet at the peak, allowing snow and rain to fall off. Also, she was made of brick, which made her sturdy.)
- What other materials can be used to construct a building? (Cement, concrete, steel, siding, mud, canvas material, and paper) How durable are these materials?
- As the story of the Little House unfolds, does her appearance change? Does she blend in with the other buildings in her community? (By the end of the story, her appearance is poor. She does not fit in with the other parts of the community.)
- Does the function of the Little House remain the same throughout the story? (She is still a house.)
Tell students that they are going to explore the buildings in their own community. Distribute a Community Buildings Survey workbook to each student. Read the directions with students and review the example of the school building provided.
If possible, take students on a walking tour of the neighborhood. (You may wish to have a community leader or parent lead the tour of the community.) Give each student a clipboard, a Community Buildings Survey and a pencil. Instruct students to look for five buildings, each of which must have a different function. Buildings might include houses, offices, stores, doghouses, tree houses, backyard sheds, etc. Allow students time to sketch each building and record the FUNCTION, MATERIALS, DURABILITY, and APPEARANCE for each building. (Alternatively, you may wish to have students photograph favorite or unusual buildings.) If a walking tour is not possible, have students complete the assignment for homework, focusing on their neighborhood.
Have students return the completed workbooks to the classroom and discuss findings. Allow students to compare and contrast observations about the function, materials, appearance, and durability of the buildings in the community.
Read aloud the book, Alexander, Who’s Not (Do You Hear Me? I Mean It!) Going to Move. In the book, Alexander does not want to move because he hates the thought of leaving his favorite places in the community: his house, his neighbors’ houses, the drycleaner’s, and the market. He considers living in one of these places, or perhaps constructing a tree house, or putting up a tent. What Alexander needs is a feeling that his new community will be as welcoming as the old one. Tell the class that their assignment is to create a community that will make Alexander comfortable and welcome.
Distribute a variety of small boxes and tubes, along with art supplies such as colored construction paper, yarn, glue, and scissors. Students can use any of these materials to create a building. The building must have a specific function, and the materials selected should durable. (It is okay if more than one person is making the same kind of building; this happens in real communities as well.) Tell students that they have until the end of the class period to complete the building. Students should also describe the materials they used, and the reasons for selecting them.
While the class is building, place yarn or masking tape lines on the floor. As the buildings are completed, have students place them around the yarn or tape paths. After building and clean up is finished, have each student sit behind the building he/she made. Allow each student to describe the function of the building and justify its reason for being in the community.
Assessment:
Use the accompanying Assessment Rubric to assess student understanding.
Extensions:
As a homework assignment, have students design a building that Alexander would find in his new community (a house, a business, an office, a school, a market, etc.) Students should then write a brief description of the building, its function, and the materials that would be used to construct it. Place the drawings and descriptions on display with the buildings created for the new community. Invite other classes, parents, or administrators to tour the new and planned community buildings.
Sources:
Print:
- Burton, Virginia Lee. The Little House. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1942, 1969.
- Gibbons, Gail. How a House is Built. New York: Scholastic, 1990.
- Grimshaw, Caroline and Hussain, Iqbal. Buildings. Chicago: World Book, 1995, 1997.
- Haslam, Andrew. Building. Ocala, FL:Action Publishing, 1994.
- Hoberman, Mary Ann. A House is a House for Me. New York: Scholastic, 1978.
- Taus-Bolstad, Stacy. From Clay to Bricks. Minneapolis: Learner Publications Company, 2003.
- Viorst, Judith. Alexander, Who’s Not (Do You Hear Me? I Mean It!) Going to Move. New York: Scholastic, 1995.
Authors:
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Mary Beth Bauernschub, Teacher
Kingsford Elementary School
Mitchellville, MD
