Pre-Visit Activity: Art Talk

Please view the two reproductions with your class and lead a discussion using the following questions as guidelines.  There are no “right” answers.  The questions are meant to guide the group discussion.
Students will revisit and discuss the original works at BAM.  The vocabulary in this packet will aid discussion.

Research and experience have shown that students feel more comfortable when they can connect with something familiar once they arrive at the Museum.  The students are excited to find “their” works of art while they are at BAM.  They enjoy sharing their insights from the classroom discussion with the docent and making valuable comparisons between the textbook-like reproductions and the original works of art.

Frank Lloyd Wright and the House Beautiful

Frank Lloyd Wright was born in Richland Center, Wisconsin on June 8, 1867.  Throughout his 70-year career, he believed in a style of architecture that reflected American citizens’ individual freedoms and informal lifestyles.  This included innovations such as removing the attic and basement to focus on living areas, removing walls to open up spaces, bringing the kitchen into the main activity area of the house and blending interior spaces with the natural landscape.  Wright followed the mantra “form and function are one” and believed that nature was the best example of integrated design.  Wright designed family homes and larger structures, including the Guggenheim Museum in New York City.  He died on April 9, 1959, leaving behind a legacy of buildings that reflect his belief in developing a uniquely American style of architecture.

	Frank Lloyd Wright Sixty Years of Living Architecture, Usonian Exhibition House, plan, 1953 Ink and paper 36” x 46” The Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation, Scottsdale, Arizona
What is the overall basic shape of this house?  What is the basic shape of each room? What is the largest room?  What is the smallest room? Is there a separate dining room in the house?  Where do you think the people who live in this house would spend the most time?  Why? Can any rooms in the house be used for more than one activity?  Can you give an example?

Vocabulary

Architecture: The planning and creating of buildings.

The “House Beautiful”: A principle in architectural and social reform promoting the idea that quality of life could be improved by redesigning the physical environment, down to the smallest detail.

Functional: Designed for a particular use.

Medium: A specific kind of artistic technique or means of expression as determined by the materials used or the creative methods involved:  the medium of lithography.  The materials used in a specific artistic technique:  oils as a medium.

Media: The plural of medium.

Curricular Connections
Constructing Curriculum with Frank Lloyd Wright

• Discuss architecture through the ages.  Find images of homes throughout history and compare and contrast how home design has changed from ancient times to the present.  What elements are similar throughout the ages?  What are some of the major differences?
• Discuss how American lifestyles changed after World War II (less formal, focus on leisure time and family activities).  How did this impact Frank Lloyd Wright’s home designs?  How did he incorporate this change into the idea of “the house beautiful”?  Compare and contrast Wright’s homes before and after World War II.
• Discuss the rise of the middle class and development of mass production in 20th century America and evaluate how these issues changed the way Wright and other architects looked at home design.
• Create a visual timeline of architecture.  Use images of structures throughout history to represent different time periods.  Make a game by challenging students to place images along the timeline in the correct position.
• Research an architectural style or famous structure from a particular time period.  Have students pretend to be modern architects re-creating the structure today.  What would the students change, and what would they keep the same?
• Challenge students to design a home for a multi-cultural family.  What elements from the different cultures will the students combine to create a unique dwelling that fits the needs of all family members?
• Create a pictorial timeline of American architecture.  Discuss how American architecture has changed throughout the development of the nation.  What elements make a structure uniquely “American”?  How did Frank Lloyd Wright use the idea of the American lifestyle to influence his home design?

• Create a multi-cultural home design on the computer.  Use Adobe Photoshop or another computer program to combine two images of different dwellings in a harmonious manner.
• Research and discuss how advances in technology have changed home design and construction.  How did Frank Lloyd Wright adapt to technological advancements?  What elements of home design do architects have to consider now to keep technologically savvy clients happy?
• Create a digital photo library of architectural elements found in your neighborhood, town, or school building.  Take a walking tour of these locations and snap digital photographs of different architectural elements (these could range from windows, doors and walls to bridges and birdhouses).  Use the images to create a digital library that can be accessed by other students at your school, or print the pictures and create a class collage.

• Have students write their own definitions of “house beautiful.”  What are three important elements students will need in their own “house beautiful?”  For example, access to nature may be important to one student, while advanced technology may be of greater value to another.
• Debate the question of form vs. function.  Discuss the importance of homes and objects that look beautiful vs. those that are functional.  Is one more important than the other?  Can the two be completely merged?  Do all of Wright’s furniture designs look functional or comfortable?
• Design a home for a character from a favorite story or fairy tale.  Have students choose a character and describe a home perfectly suited to that character.  For example, the Little Mermaid may have a home that sits partially in the ocean, with furniture shaped like shells and curtains made of seaweed.
• Write an advertisement for a home that would fit the needs of a modern middle-class family.  What elements does the home possess to make a comfortable lifestyle?  How will the advertisement entice people to buy the home?
• Research a building or structure in your community that warrants historic preservation.  Write a letter to city officials explaining the architectural and historical importance of the building and make a persuasive argument for its preservation.  Go one step further and discuss ways to raise funds for the preservation or restoration of a building.

• Study geometric shapes and identify common shapes in the designs of Frank Lloyd Wright and in structures.  What are the most common and least common shapes?
• Calculate the square footage of homes based on measurements on different floor plans.  Use these calculations to determine the quantity of supplies and amount of money needed to tile floors, carpet rooms, and paint walls.
• Measure your own classroom as a class project.  Calculate its square footage.  Practice taking measurements by recording the size of windows, doors, and other elements within the room.  Use these measurements to draw an accurate floor plan of the classroom.
• Create patterns using shapes of specific sizes.  For example, use circles that have 2 inch, 4 inch, and 6 inch diameters to create a pattern, or right angle triangles of different sizes.  Students can go on to calculate other measurements of their shapes, such as circumference or the length of the hypotenuse of triangles.

• Research and study the use of recycled materials in modern construction.  What are the pros and cons to using these materials?
• Frank Lloyd Wright believed his homes should fit the natural landscape in which they were located.  Discuss different architectural elements that might be important in different climates.  For example, a steep pitched roof may be practical in a climate with heavy snow.
• Create shapes and forms using toothpicks and mini-marshmallows.  Which shapes and forms are structurally the strongest?  Which forms are most difficult to construct?
• Use the study of human anatomy to design ergonomic furniture that is also beautiful in form.
• Construct toothpick bridges and compare their strength by measuring the amount of weight each bridge can hold.  Discuss how the structural elements of bridges relate to the structural elements of homes and buildings.
• Research environmentally friendly structures and buildings.  How can an architect create a building that helps to protect our natural resources?  Some examples could be solar-powered homes, homes made of reconstituted materials, or energy efficient designs.
• Study the nature of light and visible light.  Create stained glass windows using paint or marker on acetate or plexi-glass.  What happens as light passes through the different colors of glass?
• Find examples of patterns in nature.  What kinds of geometric shapes do you see?  How are these patterns similar to those found in Frank Lloyd Wright’s designs?  How are they different?

Related Web Sites

For Teachers

www.franklloydwright.org/   (Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation -  biographical info, project archive)

www.architecture.about.com  (general architecture information, links to teacher aids, books, etc.)

www.princtonol.com/groups/iad/lessons/middle/architec.htm  (Incredible Art Department -  links, lesson plans, resources, history of architecture)

www.cubekc.org  (Center for Understanding the Built Environment -  teacher resources and interdisciplinary lessons)

www.aiaphila.org/aie/  (Architecture in Education - activities and ideas, student gallery)

www.historyforkids.org/teacher/guides/architecture.htm  (History of Architecture Guide for teachers and parents)

www.pbs.org/teachersource/mathline/concepts/architecture/activity2.shtm  (PBS TeacherSource -  lesson on community geometry)

www.discovery.com/lessonplans/programs/architectsinaction/  (Discovery Channel Lesson Plans -  middle school lesson using ratios and scale to create models)

For Teachers and Kids

www.archkidtecture.org  (Archkidtecture: Architecture for Children - vocabulary, projects, architecture general information)

www.pbs.org/flw/  (PBS - dedicated to Frank Lloyd Wright; teacher resources, biographical information, images and links)

http://library.thinkquest.org/10098  (Architecture Through the Ages - history of architecture for students)

www.architectstudio3d.org/  (Architect Studio 3D from Frank Lloyd Wright Preservation Trust -  interactive site for home design and Frank Lloyd Wright information)

http://library.advanced.org/11114/  (Inside Architecture - discusses different styles of architecture)

www.prairiestyles.com  (Prairie Styles: The Architects, Artisans, and Styles of the Prairie School of Architecture)

www.bc.edu./bc_org/avp/cas/fnart/fa267/  (A Digital Archive of American Architecture - images and explanations of American styles of architecture)

www.sanford-artedventures.com/play/arch1/index.html  (Carmine’s Introduction to Architecture - an introduction for younger students)

www.historyforkids.org/learn/architecture/index.htm  History for Kids:  Ancient and Medieval Architecture (overview and images for students)

Post-Visit Activity: MAKE IT!

To extend the museum experience and connect the tour to your curriculum, please consider using or adapting this suggested lesson

Dream House Floor Plan

In this activity students will design a floor plan representing their ideal homes. Students can brainstorm a list of elements that would be present in their perfect homes and how their homes will make their everyday lives more enjoyable and practical.  For example, what type of furniture will the homes possess?  How many bedrooms will you need?  How many bathrooms will there be?  Students may also discuss the location of the homes (Hawaii, Alaska, etc.) as that may affect the design of the houses.

• Graph Paper
• Pencils
• Rulers or other straight edge tools
• Floor Plan Symbols
• Markers

After students have completed their lists of home elements, they should start by making rough sketches of their house plans on scratch paper.  Students should start with the basic layout of the houses and the rooms within them.  They can use either an addition or subtraction method.  In the addition method, students should draw one room in their house, and then add other rooms to it.  For the subtraction method, students may start with one large shape, and divide the interior into smaller rooms. 

Once the basic plan is in place students should transfer their designs to graph paper using rulers and pencils.  Next, they can decide the placement of doors and windows.  Students should consider how a person would travel from room to room and how each room will be used.  After the doors, windows, and hallways have been marked (see architectural symbols handout) students can start adding furniture and designs.  Frank Lloyd Wright believed the furnishings and decorative elements should harmonize with the overall design of the house, so students may wish to consider how the shape and layout of furnishings or floor patterns fit with the design of the home.  Once the furniture and other elements have been added, students can add color to their design with markers.  Carpet or rug designs can be added and should harmonize with the overall theme of the house.  Students may also include outdoor features like trees, patios, swimming pools and garages.  Remind students to think about how their home fits into the natural landscape.

Symbols (Hi-Res Image)

Applications and Extensions:

Reading and Writing

• Write a descriptive paper or paragraph about the dream home.  Include descriptions of furniture and decorations, and remember to discuss why this house makes every-day life more practical or enjoyable.
• Have students write a story about their lives “20 years from now”.  What job do they have?  Do they have their dream home?  Where do they live?  What is their family like?  Have students try to relate their lives to their built environment (home, neighborhood, city, etc.)
• Students can write a letter to their architect, discussing the construction of their ideal house.  They should include descriptions of their lifestyle (an interest in cars could mean a large garage), the types of materials they would like the architect to use, and the basic elements the house needs to have (4 bathrooms, a pool, views to nature, etc.).  Students can also research architectural styles and describe the style they want in their own home.

Math

• Use ratios and scale to create an accurate dream house design.  For example have students use the ratio of 1/4 inch = 1 foot.  The design of the rooms in their home, the furniture, and the landscape should all fit into this ratio.
• Students can use basic geometric shapes in the design of their homes.  Use one geometric shape as a theme and create design elements (furniture, rooms) that include or build on that shape.  For example, create a round house that has furniture and decorations that use arcs and circles.
• Students can calculate the square footage of their homes based on the ratio they used in their design.  Take this idea one step further and have students calculate for construction costs (for example, if they want carpet that is $2.00/ square foot, how much money will it take to carpet a house that has 1600 square feet?)

Visual Art

• Create a group floor plan with the entire class.  Draw a large grid on butcher paper and allow each student to add elements of the design.  The class could decide on a certain shape for the plan or theme together, or the plan could be built as each individual adds to it.  Paper cutouts of architectural symbols and furniture could be taped to the floor plan and moved around as the work develops.
• Use cardboard, paper, and glue to build three-dimensional models of the home plans.
• Students may be nervous about drawing directly onto their graph paper with markers as they may decide to change the arrangement of elements within their dream home.  Use layers of tracing paper over the top of the graph paper to add furniture and decorations to the home.  Students will be able to see the basic outline of their plan through the tracing paper, and with each layer can add different characteristics.  If they are not satisfied with their first attempt, the tracing paper can be removed and other layers added.  This would also work with transparency film or acetate.
• Have students make a drawing of the outside elevation of their home.  This could be combined with the floor plan as part of a single poster advertisement for the home.
• Use simple wood or plastic blocks in a variety of forms and sizes to create structures. 

Geography and History

• Have students choose an historical location and time period (for example, ancient Greece or Medieval Europe).  Students can research the architecture and lifestyle of that time period and design a floor plan for a home to fit in with the culture and location.
• If students choose a particular location for their dream homes, have them research building materials that are found in that locale which could be used in the construction and design of their homes.

Bibliography

• The Annotated Arch:  History of Architecture by Carol Strickland; McMeel Publishing, April 2001.  ISBN:  0740710249
  • Architecture in Education by Marcy Abhau; Foundation for Architecture, January 1990.  ISBN:  0962290807
  • Architecture is Elementary by Nathan B. Winters; Gibbs Smith, September 2005.  ISBN:  1586858297
  • The Art of Constructions:  Projects and Principles for Beginning Engineers and Architects by Mario Salvadori; Chicago Review Press, March 1990.  ISBN:  1556520808
  • The Art Teacher’s Book of Lists by Helen D. Hume; Prentice Hall, 1998.  ISBN:  0135177561
  • A Blueprint for Geometry by Brad S. Fulton, Bill Lombard; Dale Seymore Publications, February 1997.  ISBN:  1572322780
  • Children’s Special Places:  Exploring the Role of Forts, Dens, and Bush Houses in Middle Childhood by David Sobel; Wayne State University Press, March 2002.  ISBN:  0814330266
  • Frank Lloyd Wright:  The Interactive Portfolio by Margo Stipe; Running Press Book Publishers, October 2004.  ISBN:  0762419350
  Preschool  
  • Architecture, Animals by Michael J. Crosbie, Steve Rosenthal; John Wiley and Sons, June 1995.  ISBN:  0471143588
  • Architecture, Colors by Michael J. Crosbie, Steve Rosenthal; John Wiley and Sons, August 1993.  ISBN:  0471143596
  • Architecture, Counts by Michael J. Crosbie, Steve Rosenthal; John Wiley and Sons, August 1993.  ISBN:  0471143618
  • Architecture, Shapes by Michael J. Crosbie, Steve Rosenthal; John Wiley and Sons, August 1993.  ISBN:  0471143669
  Pre-K to 3rd
  • Animal Architects by John Nicholson; Allen and Unwin, April 2006.  ISBN:  1741142636
  • Arches to Zigzags:  An Architecture ABC by Michael J. Crosbie, Steve Rosenthal; Harry N. Abrams, October 2000.  ISBN:  0810942186
  • Architects Make Zigzags:  Looking at Architecture from A to Z by Diane Maddex; John Wiley and Sons, August 1986.  ISBN:  04711435X
  • Castle by David MacCaulay; Houghton Mifflin/Walter Lorraine Books, October 1982.  ISBN:  0395329205
  • Cathedral:  The Story of Its Construction by David MacCaulay; Houghton Mifflin/Walter Lorraine Books, October 1981.  ISBN:  0395316685
  • City:  A Story of Roman Planning and Construction by David MacCaulay; Houghton Mifflin/Walter Lorraine Books, October 1983.  ISBN:  0395349222
  • How a House is Built by Gail Gibbons; Holiday House, March 1996.  ISBN:  0823412326
  • Roberto, the Insect Architect by Nina Laden; Chronicle Books LLC, September 2000.  ISBN:  0811824659
  • Roxaboxen by Alice McLerran, Barbara Cooney; Harper Trophy, April 2004.  ISBN:  0060526335
  • What it Feels Like to Be A Building by Forrest Wilson; John Wiley and Sons, June 1995.  ISBN:  0471144339
  4 th to 6th
  • The Art of Construction:  Projects and Principles for Beginning Engineers and Architects by Mario Salvadori; Chicago Review Press, March 1990.  ISBN:  1556520808
  • Frank Lloyd Wright for Kids by Kathleen Thorne-Thomsen; Chicago Review Press, Incorporated, March 1994.  ISBN:  155652207X
  • Frank Lloyd Wright:  Visionary Architect (People to Know Series) by David K. Wright; Enslow Publishers, February 1999.  ISBN:  0766010325
  • On the Job With An Architect:  Builder of the World by Jake Miller; Baron’s Educational Series, September 2001.  ISBN:  0764118676
  • Under Every Roof:  A Kid’s Style and Field Guide to the Architecture of American Houses by Patricia Brown Glenn; John Wiley and Sons, August 1993.  ISBN:  0471144282
  Junior High
  • Frank Lloyd Wright:  Architect:  An Illustrated Biography by Alexander Boulton; Rizzoli, August 1993.  ISBN:  0847816834
  • Round Buildings, Square Buildings, and Buildings that Wiggle Like a Fish by Phillip M. Isaacson; Knopf Books for Young Readers, September 2001.  ISBN:  0394893824
  Young Adult/Adult
  • Architecture:  The World’s Greatest Buildings Explored and Explained by Neil Stevenson; DK ADULT, September 1997.  ISBN:  0789419653
  • Frank Lloyd Wright by Ada Louise Huxtable; Viking Adult, November 2004.  ISBN:  0670033421
  • Frank Lloyd Wright:  An Autobiography by Frank Lloyd Wright; Pomegranate Communications, March 2005.  ISBN:  0764932438
  • Frank Lloyd Wright’s House Beautiful by Diane Maddex; Hearst Communications, January 2000.  ISBN:  0688167365
  • Identifying American Architecture:  A Pictorial Guide to Styles and Terms:  1600-1945 by John H.-G. Blumenson; W.W. Norton and Company, February 1990.  ISBN:  0393306100
  • Many Masks:  A Life of Frank Lloyd Wright by Brendan Gill; Dacapa Press, September 1998.  ISBN:  0306808722
  • Visual Dictionary of Architecture by Francis D. K. Ching; Wiley; New Ed. Edition, November 1996.  ISBN:  0471288217
  • A World History of Architecture by Marian Moffett, Lawrence Wodehouse, Michael Fazio; McGraw-Hill Professional, September 2003.  ISBN:  0071417516