This lesson is from Picture-Perfect STEM Lessons, K–2: Chapter 7, “Build It!”

Engage Show the cover of Iggy Peck, Architect by Andrea Beaty, illustrated by David Roberts. Ask, From looking at the cover, what do you think this book is about? What do you think an architect does? Read the book aloud, then ask, What kinds of materials did Iggy Peck use to build the structures in the book? (chalk, pancakes, apples, dirt, etc.)

Explore Tell participants that they are going to have the opportunity to be like Iggy Peck and use their imaginations and some everyday materials to create a structure of their own design. Give each table a different set of materials (See Lesson Materials List). Allow time for them to build. Each person can build their own structure, or the group can decide to build one structure together. After all groups are finished building, invite groups to share what they have built.

Why Build? Building structures encourages children to test spatial relationships and mentally rotate objects. Such practice might lead them to develop better spatial abilities. The research: Kids who spend more free time playing with puzzles or building blocks score higher on tests of spatial ability (Jirout and Newcombe 2015; Levine et al 2012).  Studies of adolescents link construction play with superior performance on tests of spatial skills and mathematics (Oostermeijer et al 2014; Richardson et al 2014). Kids become friendlier and more socially-savvy when they work on cooperative construction projects (Owens et al 2008; Legoff and Sherman 2006; Roseth et al 2009).  Share these research quotes about the importance of having children take part in construction play. Building structures encourages children to test spatial relationships and mentally rotate objects. Such practice might lead them to develop better spatial abilities. The research: Kids who spend more free time playing with puzzles or building blocks score higher on tests of spatial ability (Jirout and Newcombe 2015; Levine et al. 2012).  Studies of adolescents link construction play with superior performance on tests of spatial skills and mathematics (Oostermeijer et al. 2014; Richardson et al. 2014). Kids become friendlier and more socially-savvy when they work on cooperative construction projects (Owens et al. 2008; Legoff and Sherman 2006; Roseth et al. 2009). 

Why Build? A growing body of research suggests that spatial skills actually predict success in STEM fields out to adulthood (Newcombe 2010; Uttal, Miller, and Newcombe, 2013; Wai, Lubinski,and Benbow, 2009). Spatial skills can be improved (Uttal, Meadow, et al. 2013) so as teachers we can support STEM learning and improve the likelihood of future success in STEM by encouraging construction building and by encouraging children to think critically about topics like the defining characteristics of shapes (Resnick, Verdine, Golinkoff, and Hirsh-Pasek 2016). Share these research quotes linking spatial skills to future success in STEM fields: A growing body of research suggests that spatial skills actually predict success in STEM fields out to adulthood (Newcombe 2010; Uttal, Miller, and Newcombe 2013; Wai, Lubinski, and Benbow 2009). Spatial skills can be improved (Uttal, Meadow, et al. 2013) so as teachers we can support STEM learning and improve the likelihood of future success in STEM by encouraging construction building, by using spatial language to label spatial concepts for children (Pruden, Levin, and Huttenlocher 2011), and by encouraging children to think critically about topics like the defining characteristics of shapes (Resnick, Verdine, Golinkoff, and Hirsh-Pasek 2016).

Explain Show participants the cover of Dreaming Up: A Celebration of Building and introduce Christy Hale, the author and illustrator of this book. Tell them that the supplies that were used in the free-build activity were all inspired by this book.

Comparing Structures As you read the book aloud, have participants signal when you come to a page where the illustration on the left-hand side of each two-page spread shows the supplies they used, and compare the structure pictured with the structures they made. Explain that these different structures are examples of how a great variety of objects can be made from a small set of pieces.

La Sagrada Família Christy Hale’s inspiration for Dreaming Up dates back to her first encounter with Barcelona’s La Sagrada Família. “I’m sure I made the sandcastle connection way back then,” says Hale. From then on, “it became a fun challenge to think of the many ways kids build, and then buildings that correspond to their building play.” Model how to find information about the author by looking at the back flap of the book jacket. Read the section that explains Hale’s vision for this book: Her inspiration for Dreaming Up dates back to her first encounter with Barcelona’s La Sagrada Família. “I’m sure I made the sandcastle connection way back then,” says Hale. From then on, “it became a fun challenge to think of the many ways kids build, and then buildings that correspond to their building play.” Explain that this cathedral, La Sagrada Família, was her first inspiration for this book. After seeing how it resembled a child’s sandcastle, she started to notice how other structures resembled things that children build.

100 Most Famous Structures of All Time Tell participants that you have a video to show them called the “100 Most Famous Buildings/Structures of All Time” (www.youtube.com/watch?v=dA3Ak-FLk_A ). Explain that these particular buildings were chosen by the video’s creator and that other people might have other ideas about the world’s most famous buildings. Point out that the video is set to music from the era or historical time period of each set of buildings. Click the play button to go to the YouTube video.

Elaborate Revisit the book Iggy Peck, Architect and flip through the illustrations. Point out that Iggy is not just building random things in the book; he is actually creating models of famous buildings (some of which were in the video they just watched!). So Iggy not only likes to build but also likes to study architecture.

In this part of the lesson, students have another opportunity to build something. But unlike the first time, when their challenge was just to build something creative out of the materials they were presented, this time they are going to build a model of an actual building. They will go through all the steps of the journal first, and then they will create a model of a building of their choice. They will use an Architecture Journal to record their ideas. Click through the pages of the Architecture Journal.

Evaluate Finally, students share their models during an Architecture Expo. They display their models on their desks and have their Architecture Journal open to pages 3–4 so that visitors can see a photograph of the building, its name, the architect, location, and fun facts. You can have students do a gallery walk through the classroom, where they use sticky notes to post suggestions, questions, and positive feedback on the desks next to the models.

For the STEM at Home activity, students and their adult helpers can watch a short video together called “Shape House” about drawing the shapes that make up a house. After they watch the video, they can go outside together and look for the shapes that make up their own home or another building in their neighborhood.

Geometry in Architecture There are many connections between mathematics and architecture, especially geometry. Many of these Common Core State Standards for Mathematics are addressed in this lesson.

What ideas from this lesson could you use in your classroom? Stretch Share! & What ideas from this lesson could you use in your classroom?