Lesson Plans >
> The Foundation Grid
The lesson plans in the Foundation grid familiarize students with basic architectural and engineering concepts, from simple scale measurements to the analysis of form and function.
 Do you want to print out a copy of this SSLAM Grid? Get our PDF.
|
The Lesson
Observing/Surveying
Improve the ability to observe and record.
Content Focus
Art - Visual: Principles of Design
Built Environment: Mapping, Observing/Surveying
Math: Modeling: Shapes and Patterns, Modeling: Spatial Reasoning
The Lesson
Measuring/Estimating
Learn the basic rules of estimating and measuring.
Content Focus
Built Environment: Measuring/Estimating, Observing/Surveying
Math: Measurement: Objects and Units, Modeling: Shapes and Patterns, Scale
The Lesson
Working With Scale
Translate one scale into another.
Content Focus
Built Environment: Measuring/Estimating, Scale/Proportion
Math: Measurement: Objects and Units, Ratio and Proportion, Scale
The Lesson
Mapping
Extend measuring and observing into formal mapping.
Content Focus
Art - Visual: Principles of Design, Techniques: Drawing
Built Environment: Mapping
Math: Geometric Shapes and Relationships
The Lesson
Architectural Drawing/2D
Learn the meaning of plan, section, and elevation.
Content Focus
Art - Visual: Principles of Design, Techniques: Drawing
Built Environment: Mapping, Scale/Proportion
Math: Geometric Shapes and Relationships, Measurement: Objects and Units, Modeling: Spatial Reasoning, Scale
The Lesson
Model-Making/3D
Use models to represent design ideas.
Content Focus
Art - Visual: Techniques: Model-making
Built Environment: Measuring/Estimating, Scale/Proportion
Math: Measurement: Objects and Units, Modeling: Spatial Relationships
The Lesson
Push and Pull
Explore materials to determine how they perform under tension and compression and categorize materials as elastic, plastic or brittle.
Content Focus
Science: Matter: Properties, Motion and Forces
Technology: Construction Technologies
The Lesson
Stress Test
Understand and calculate stress (and its relationship to force and area).
Content Focus
Built Environment: Compression/Tension
Science: Matter: Properties, Motion and Forces
Technology: Construction Technologies
The Lesson
Column Quest
Identify columns in structures and test how columns do and do not carry load.
Content Focus
Built Environment: Compression/Tension
Science: Matter: Properties, Motion and Forces
Technology: Construction Technologies
The Lesson
Beam Team
Identify beams in structures and test to understand how beams carry load.
Content Focus
Built Environment: Columns, Compression/Tension
Science: Matter: Properties, Motion and Forces
Technology: Construction Technologies
The Lesson
Trusses
Create a truss bridge and understand how a truss works to carry loads.
Content Focus
Built Environment: Beams, Compression/Tension
Science: Matter: Properties, Motion and Forces
Technology: Construction Technologies
The Lesson
Cables
Create a model suspension bridge and understand how cables in suspension bridges carry loads.
Content Focus
Built Environment: Compression/Tension
Science: Matter: Properties, Motion and Forces
Technology: Construction Technologies
The Lesson
Arches
Understand how inverted tensile structures such as arches work in compression.
Content Focus
Built Environment: Cables, Compression/Tension
Science: Matter: Properties, Motion and Forces
Technology: Construction Technologies
The Lesson
Tower of Cards
Make the strongest structure possible using only 100 index cards.
Content Focus
Built Environment: Columns
Science: Matter: Properties, Motion and Forces
Technology: Construction Technologies
The Lesson
Form
Explore how a structure's form influences its function, shape, the space it occupies, and the materials used to build it.
Content Focus
Art - Visual: Elements of Art, Principles of Design
Built Environment: Form, Function, Material, Shape, Space
Math: Modeling: Shapes and Patterns
Social Studies: World Culture
Technology: Engineering Design
The Lesson
Function
Examine how a structure's purpose shapes its form, including its inside and outside spaces.
Content Focus
Art - Visual: Elements of Art
Built Environment: Form, Function, Space
The Lesson
Scale
Learn to use scales by turning a milk carton into an apartment building.
Content Focus
Art - Visual: Techniques: Model-making
Built Environment: Form, Scale/Proportion, Space
Math: Scale
The Lesson
Site
Examine how a structure's location and surrounding environment affect the form it takes.
Content Focus
Art - Visual: Architectural Styles, Principles of Design
Built Environment: Form, Site
Technology: Engineering Design
The Lesson
Space
Examine how people's space requirements shape the buildings and environments they occupy.
Content Focus
Art - Visual: Principles of Design
Built Environment: Form, Site, Space
Math: Calculation: Averages, Geometric Shapes and Relationships, Measurement: Objects and Units
Technology: Engineering Design
The Lesson
Style
Investigate the dynamic relationships among architectural styles, history, and human behavior.
Content Focus
Art - Visual: Architectural Styles, Elements of Art
Built Environment: Form, Function, Style
Welcome
"Lessons from the Salvadori Classrooms" draws upon two decades of work with teachers and students to create exciting and innovative architecture- and engineering-based projects that help students improve their performance in all academic subject areas.
Try a Lesson Plan
The  marks the five lessons from The School Grid that we would like you to try out.
Get All the Lessons
By filling out our subscription form, educators from pre-K to the university can obtain a personalized user key that will give them access to the lesson plans.
Learn More About Salvadori Professional Development
Send us an email or call us at 212-650-5497 for information about the Salvadori Professional Development Program.
|
