Architecture is beginning to take shape

    When Honor first said architecture I scratched my head for days. I collected some materials. When the first packages arrived Joy's response was, "Uh! He gets to do architecture and I don't?!" Oh dear. I read through the books, viewed some movies, put them all on a shelf, and let the idea just simmer for awhile. Like two months. Recently I've been digging them back out, looking at specifics, and a skeleton plan began to form.

Current plan: subject to change when the pencil hits the paper

• Start with some physics. Load, force, shapes, and how they're integrated (toothpick trusses, etc.)
• Add some materials to that list, and do some foundations projects
• Pyramids: these will be covered in ancient history for both of them, but we'll draw out more details on how they were built, why they're so strong, and such
• Tunnels: how they work, how they're built, famous examples around the world, read about them, write about them, draw them, build one in a packing box full of dirt, no non-freeway types around here for fieldtrips unfortunately
• Bridges: same basic coverage as tunnels, building several different types, visiting some local bridges
• Dams: same basic coverage, learning more about the Hoover and Roosevelt specifically, since we can visit those
• Skyscrapers: same basic coverage, build a newspaper one, fieldtrip
• Domes: ditto, but probably without newspaper
• Unbuilding, or how and why buildings come back down, intentionally and accidentally
• Local architecture, old and modern, tons of great fieldtrip possibilities here
• Famous architects, past and modern, fieldtrip to a local perhaps-not-so-famous one
• perspective drawing, leading into beginning drafting
• play around with drawing blueprints

    Resources

• Building Big book by David Macaulay, the DVDs that go with it (Tunnels, Bridges, Dams, Skyscrapers, Domes), and the educator guide that goes with them (fabulous hands on project ideas)
• Building Small VHS (also Macaulay)
• Kaleidoscope Kids Bridges
• Kaleidoscope Kids Skyscrapers
• The Heights: Anatomy of a Skyscraper
• Unbuilding by David Macaulay
• Underground by David Macaulay
• Pyramid by David Macaulay (possibly DVD too)
• Why Buildings Fall Down: Why Structures Fail
• Why Buildings Stand Up: The Strength of Architecture (these two may end up being more for Joy)
• random children's books like DK and Kingfisher on skyscrapers, famous buildings, etc.
• The Art of Construction by Salvadori
• Grand Constructions by Ceserani
• Understanding the Worlds Greatest Structures lecture series from thegreatcourses.com (for Joy)
• DVDs like NOVA: Super Bridge, National Geographic: Mega Structures, or whatever happens to be free on Amazon Prime at the time
• Hoover Dam 
• Images of America: Roosevelt Dam
• City by Design: Phoenix
• Phoenix Then and Now
• Complete-A-Sketch series from Insight Technical Education
• Practical Drafting: Applied Engineering Graphics Workbook
• Basic Beginner's Drafting Engineer's Kit (rulers, compasses, protractors, etc)

    (I left specifically medieval structures like castles and cathedrals off the list. For now. I'll be more intentional on adding it to their middle age history when it comes around in 2014.)

    Now to flesh out actual lessons and see if that's enough for a whole school year. This will be Honor's fifth grade science, and an eighth grade elective for Joy. I'll stuff as many hands on projects in there as time allows, and we'll try to line up the fieldtrips with scouting and dance events that already haul us all over this valley and beyond.