Design and construct buildings with rooftop gardens. Junior engineers work in groups to build two buildings and then perform experiments to determine whether or not a garden affects the building's temperatures. They graph and interpret...

Creating buildings that reach hundreds of feet into the sky is no easy task. The third instructional activity in this series begins with four activities that engage young architects in exploring the major challenges that are faced when...

The construction of skyscrapers is no simple undertaking, involving the careful coordination and planning of many different people. The third lesson in this series explores this detailed process by first teaching children about the main...

Besides serving as awe-inspiring monuments of human achievement, skyscrapers are built to perform a wide range of functions in urban communities. The second lesson in this series begins by exploring the history of the Empire State...

Imagine precisely cutting and then moving a 120 ton boulder more than two miles without mechanical cutting tolls, skid loaders, or hydraulic cranes. Imagine carving a stone figure that includes a drainage system that permits rainwater to...

Students investigate the ways in which ancient technologies - six types of simple machines and combinations - are used to construct modern buildings. As they work together to solve a design problem (designing and building a modern...

Learners discover fascinating facts about the Great Pyramid of ancient Egypt and construct a scale model of the pyramid with this fun activity worksheet. 

Students participate in groups to complete the best bridge.  In this bridge building lesson, students are assigned a role in building the bridge.  Students will have to keep to their budgets. After the bridges are built,...

Students are assigned the task of building a community building. They construct the building using a computer graphics design program. The simulated building when completed be put together to form a small town.

After a quick study of Native American art, symbolism, and pattern design children make a ceramic vase. They read about the use, production, and design of Native American vases or pots, then use clay to create one of their own. Tip:...

Find everything you need for a two-week home construction simulation project for your high school economics class. They come up with the plans for a custom home including the cost per square foot, interest rate, mortgage term, down...

Students research different types of boats in various time periods and cultures. Then they locate photographs and information about construction details of one type of boat. Students also use their research as the basis for designing and...

A well-designed table is here for those who are studying Native American history. They choose an Indian tribe, then conduct research which enables them to fill in each of the blanks in the table.

Students explore Green Construction. In this lesson based on the experiences of Peace Corps volunteers, students gain insight into alternative construction in Guatemala. They examine the pros and cons of using alternative building...

Students explore how the Romans engineered and built aqueducts. They read a manual, explore the Construct a Roman Aqueduct online activity, and construct an aqueduct that will transport two liters of water across a short distance in the...

Build an interest and appreciation for architecture in your young learners with this fun 10-lesson art unit. Engaging children in using their five senses, the class first observes the environment around them, paying...

Complete fashion design activities as a part of a study on protecting the environment. In this fashion and environment lesson plan, students discuss global environmental awareness and work in groups to list recyclable products that can...

Commonplace today, the zipper and button construction of blue jeans was a major innovation. Using the patent for the J.W. Davis and Levi Strauss innovation, individuals comb an image of the fly for clues. Afterward, they discuss its...

Students become familiar with the concepts of community and neighborhood and what buildings are associated with these. In this neighborhood lesson, students tour the neighborhood as a class, observing and taking photos of the local...

First graders explore different types of Native American shelters. For this Native American homes lesson, 1st graders compare the shapes of shelters used by Native Americans. They build a home using the program "Community Construction...

Young scholars examine the concepts of green building used in constructing or renovating a building. They conduct an interview with someone who sells green materials, or designs or implements green building plans. They work in teams...

Middle schoolers examine the design and construction of skyscrapers. They use the internet to research information about different types of skyscrapers. They create their own building and defend it to the class.

Learners are introduced to an image of Freedom Tower, then read a news article about the construction of this building that will be completed in 2011. In this current events lesson plan, the teacher introduces the article with an...

Young scholars construct a model of the Supreme Court's courtroom. They design the courtroom in such a way so that the architecture and furnishings in the courtroom represent the neutrality and power of the court.