Towers and Turrets

I found this lesson, Towers & Turrets, years ago in a Dick Blick catalog. It was submitted by Anne Pietropola.  Click here for an updated version of this lesson. While I have done it with the painted background, I opted not to this time.

I consider it to be a fun lesson and it includes many of the concepts we teach.  I started off with a power point of several landmark buildings. The Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame, Taj Mahal, Frank Lloyd Wright's Falling Waters and St. Basil Cathedral which was to be our inspiration for this project. In addition to making the power point, I pre-cut paper 3" wide and in an assortment of different lengths.

 We discussed the role of an architect and their purpose for building what they build. I then modeled for them how to fold the paper, draw half of the building, and then cut it out. And even though this was with 4th and 5th graders-some forgot to do it on the folded side and ended up with 2 halves of a building........ yeah...

Anyway, I like to always have what I call "inspiration sheets". It is a starting point for students who otherwise would sit there and not know what to do. They are NOT required to use them.

I actually came across other blogs that do a similar project and they had coloring sheets for this project. And of course, now I can't find it........ I did find a painted version here at Painted Paper by blogger Laura Lohmann.

The first week was for cutting out the shapes and decorating them with colored pencils. All of my students have a 3 pronged pocket folder to hold their towers and turrets in for the following week. Otherwise give envelopes out to children to store their work in.

 

 

The second week was for finishing up the details on the towers and turrets and gluing them down to construction paper. They could choose the color.

   

These are on a board I'm preparing to take to the County Fair for the Art Exhibit.

Students enjoyed doing this and I think they did a super job!

And on another note-I had a class come into the art room and one of the girls had this flyer/brochure from the latest and most popular toy: Shopkins. I am happy to say I now know the names of the Shopkins that I got from students........ Where a classroom teacher might tell the student to put that away - in the art room this was a teachable moment while I explained to students how those and many other toys exist because of artists. And I briefly listed several different career paths! Oh yeah!!!

 Anyway as I think about this Towers and Turrets project, I realized the first time I taught this, most, if not all of my students had not even been born yet!

What are some of the lessons you have that are older than your students?

Thanks for reading!!