1. Teacher Guide
This lesson is designed to teach kids to ask a critical thinking question that you can’t just put into a search box to solve. To do that, we encourage them with smaller questions that search can help them answer. Make sure that you read the notes for each slide: they not only give you teaching tips but also provide answers and hints so you can help the kids if they are having trouble.
Remember, you can always send feedback to the Bing in the Classroom team at You can learn more about the program at bing.com/classroom and follow the daily lessons on our Partners In Learning site.
Want to extend today’s lesson? Consider using Skype in the Classroom to arrange for your class to chat with another class in today’s location. And if you are using Windows 8, you can also use the Bing apps to learn more about this location and topic; the Travel and News apps in particular make great teaching tools.
Alice Keeler is a mother of 5 and a teacher in Fresno, California. She has her B.A in Mathematics, M.S. in Educational Media Design and Technology and is currently working on a doctorate in Educational Technology with an emphasis in games and simulations. EdTech speaker, blogger, and presenter. Founder of coffeecue, a 1 hour conference event for educators. New Media Consortium Horizon report advisory panel member. High school math teacher for 14 years. Currently teaching pre-service teachers curriculum, instruction and technology at California State University Fresno. Teaches online for Fresno Pacific University in the Masters in Educational Technology. Passionate that kids are not failures, researches gamification in education to increase student motivation.
This lesson is designed to teach the Common Core State Standard: English Language Arts
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH Evaluate various explanations for actions or events and determine which explanation best accords with textual evidence, acknowledging where the text leaves matters uncertain.

2. How does the modern architecture of the city of Rouen blend with the Gothic?
© Tim Gartside/age fotostock
Having this up as kids come in is a great settle down activity. You can start class by asking them for thoughts about the picture or about ideas on how they could solve the question of the day.

3. How does the modern architecture of the city of Rouen blend with the Gothic?
In medieval times, the English occupied portions of France, including the city of Rouen in northwest. As a sort of halfway point between Paris and the English Channel, Rouen was at the time, the second largest city in France.
Today, centuries after French rule was restored, Rouen boasts numerous art museums and some modern architecture alongside its well-preserved Gothic buildings. The cathedral, for example, managed to remain intact despite the city withstanding serious damage during WWII.
Depending on time, you can either have students read this silently to themselves, have one of them read out loud, or read it out loud yourself.

4. How does the modern architecture of the city of Rouen blend with the Gothic?1
Image Search
Search Bing images and come up with a list of characteristics of Medieval Gothic architecture. 2
Search Bing images and come up with a list of characteristics of Modern architecture. 3
Search Bing images and come up with a list of ways some modern buildings in Rouen resemble use gothic architectural styles. 4
Search Bing images and come up with a list of ways modern buildings in Rouen deviate from gothic architectural styles. 5
Thinking
Imagine you are an architect who has been given the task of designing a new church in Rouen. Describe some of the Gothic features you would combine with the modern.
There are a couple of ways to use this slide, depending on how much technology you have in your classroom. You can have students find answers on their own, divide them into teams to have them do all the questions competitively, or have each team find the answer to a different question and then come back together. If you’re doing teams, it is often wise to assign them roles (one person typing, one person who is in charge of sharing back the answer, etc.)

5. How does the modern architecture of the city of Rouen blend with the Gothic?5
Minutes
You can adjust this based on how much time you want to give kids. If a group isn’t able to answer in 5 minutes, you can give them the opportunity to update at the end of class or extend time.

6. How does the modern architecture of the city of Rouen blend with the Gothic?1
Image Search
Search Bing images and come up with a list of characteristics of Medieval Gothic architecture. 2
Search Bing images and come up with a list of characteristics of Modern architecture. 3
Search Bing images and come up with a list of ways some modern buildings in Rouen resemble use gothic architectural styles. 4
Search Bing images and come up with a list of ways modern buildings in Rouen deviate from gothic architectural styles. 5
Thinking
Imagine you are an architect who has been given the task of designing a new church in Rouen. Describe some of the Gothic features you would combine with the modern.
Possible search queries: “Medieval Architecture,” “Medieval Gothic Architecture,” “Gothic Architecture Example”
Sources:
Wikipedia:
Bing:
Possible answers: Medieval Gothic architecture features tall, vertical lines, pointed arches, buttresses, elaborate and ornate decorative effects (including gargoyles), vaulted and airy ceilings.

7. How does the modern architecture of the city of Rouen blend with the Gothic?1
Image Search
Search Bing images and come up with a list of characteristics of Medieval Gothic architecture.
(Possible search queries: “Medieval Architecture,” “Medieval Gothic Architecture,” “Gothic Architecture Example”)
Sources:
Wikipedia:
Bing:
Possible answers: Medieval Gothic architecture features tall, vertical lines, pointed arches, buttresses, elaborate and ornate decorative effects (including gargoyles), vaulted and airy ceilings.

8. How does the modern architecture of the city of Rouen blend with the Gothic?2
Image Search
Search Bing images and come up with a list of characteristics of Modern architecture.
(Possible search queries: “Modern Architecture,” “Modern Architecture Examples,” “Modern Architecture Features”)
Sources:
Wikipedia:
Bing:
Possible answers: Modern architecture features an emphasis on vertical and horizontal lines, practicality, minimal decorative effects, perpendicular and rectangular look.

9. How does the modern architecture of the city of Rouen blend with the Gothic?3
Image Search
Search Bing images and come up with a list of ways some modern buildings in Rouen resemble use gothic architectural styles.
(Possible search queries: “Modern Buildings in Rouen,” “Modern Architecture Rouen,” “Rouen Architecture”)
Sources:
Wikipedia:
Bing:
Possible answers: Some modern buildings use long vertical lines with spire-like effects and overly decorative elements. Also, some windows feature a high degree of vertical elongation and pointed arches.

10. How does the modern architecture of the city of Rouen blend with the Gothic?4
Image Search
Search Bing images and come up with a list of ways modern buildings in Rouen deviate from gothic architectural styles.
(Possible search queries: “Modern Buildings in Rouen,” “Modern Architecture Rouen,” “Rouen Architecture”)
Sources:
Wikipedia:
Bing:
Possible answers: Some modern buildings are minimally adorned and emphasize horizontal lines. Also, some buildings are short and long rather than tall and slender.

11. How does the modern architecture of the city of Rouen blend with the Gothic?5
Thinking
Imagine you are an architect who has been given the task of designing a new church in Rouen. Describe some of the Gothic features you would combine with the modern.
Sources:
Wikipedia:
Bing:
Possible answers may vary widely: The church will contain a mixture of modern and Gothic features such as having a long, horizontal structures for practical purposes. This could be accented by the use of a tall, pointed steeple or bell tower. Also, windows could be vertical in nature. This would enable the church to blend nicely with either architectural style.

12. How does the modern architecture of the city of Rouen blend with the Gothic?
This slide is a chance to summarize the information from the previous slides to build your final answer to the question.