Architecture

Leapin' Landmarks: Locating 10 Man-made Landmarks Around the World  (Y)
Students identify 10 man-made landmarks around the world. Students will also map and label the continents, oceans, and major mountain ranges of the world as well as do a short research project on one of the landmarks. Grade 3

BrickLink Studio  (Y,M)
The program that lets you build with LEGO bricks on your computer. Works on both PC and Mac.

National Building Museum  (Y,M,O,T)
The National Building Museum is America's leading cultural institution devoted to the history and impact of the built environment. The museum tells the stories of architecture, engineering, and design.  A variety of Educator Resource Packets containing numerous lesson plans are available for educators free of charge.

The White House: Everything You Need to Know About the US President’s Residence  (Y,M,O)
Architectural Digest unpacks the architectural history of the most famous home in the country.

BUILDING BIG Educators' Guide  (M,T)
Encourages kids to think about structures they see every day. Grades 5-8

“Architecture: It’s Elementary!” (Y,T)
This Web-based guidebook for teachers includes ten lesson plans for each elementary school year, from kindergarten through grade five. The curriculum introduces children to the study of architecture and the built environment, encompassing art, social studies, language arts, history, science and math. These lessons engage children’s bodies, minds, and imaginations to explore how buildings and cities are designed and built. Lessons appeal to the various learning styles of children as they look, explore, think and design. In considering how to create functional, safe and appealing environments, children develop skills of observation, reasoning and critical thinking. These tools will develop within them an appreciation and respect for the built environment.

Build-It Design Challenges (Y,T)
Students ages 5-12 will use their imaginations to work through the Design Process to solve a problem and create their own unique constructions using LEGO.

Chicago Architecture Center (Y,T)
Explore architecture and the built environment using all of your senses through hands-on activities about science, math, art, reading and writing, and social studies, using things you can find around the house. Ages 5-12

archKidecture (Y,M,O,T)
Why you should introduce your kids to architecture, and how to do it. Includes projects and ideas, including a teaching guide. The guide explains why architecture is a great medium for learning a lot of different subjects, and it also offers ideas for exploring the built environment.

B4UBuild.com (Y,M)
A collection of links to some great building and construction related Web sites for kids, young builders, and the young at heart.

Beyond Blueprints: A Kid's Education Center for Careers in Design and Construction (Y,M)
This article talks about the roles of engineers, architects, and construction professionals. Includes links to educational materials and at-home activities.

StudyArchitecture American Houses Lesson Plan (M,O)
The StudyArchitecture American Houses Lesson Plan is a resource for middle and high schoolers interested in architecture. It was created for educators but can be easily adapted for parents to use with their children. This resource includes 42 different residential American house types and can be stretched out as a month-and-a-half long “Individual Student Project.”

Royal Institute of British Architects (Y,M,O)
Engaging and easy to use resources for people of all ages and interests.

Center for Architecture (Y,M,O)
These short, easy to follow design projects use simple materials to get kids exploring building design, NYC history, landscape design, interior design, game design, skyscrapers and more. For K-12

Resources for K-12 Students Interested in Architecture (Y,M,O,T)
If you have a student considering a career in architecture, you'll find one or both of these guides helpful. One is for students, and one for educators, but they provide similar information: recommended coursework and the path to licensure.

Become a Landscape Architect (Y,M,O,T)
Articles, videos, and resources to introduce K-12 students to landscape architecture.

Art & Architecture Curriculum (Y,M,O,T)
These K-12 lesson plans from the J. Paul Getty Museum explore architecture in art. Lessons in this interdisciplinary curriculum engage students in topics in the disciplines of visual art, language arts, and/or history–social science.