Architecture: for kids!

A unit study adventure in architecture.

There is a wise quote that goes like this, “Learning can only happen when a child is interested. If he is not interested, it’s like throwing marshmallows at his head and calling it eating.” ~Katrina Gutleben

And I wish that quote would have involved throwing broccoli b/c somehow my kids would enjoy having marshmallows thrown at their head …but I imagine broccoli is a more dangerous projectile and marshmallows are quotably safer in a legal sense.

My full time job title can be summed up as: The Great Conjurer of Interest-er. If you’ve ever been in charge of a child’s learning you know: you have to use some magic or you’ll die on the frontlines.

If you decide to use this secret potion… PLEASE: do not introduce it by saying, “Now, children, sit here, I have a unit study for you on architecture…” {BLECK!} Gather up the stack of material, and set it on the breakfast table. Make it mysterious. When your kids ask: WHAT’S THAT? Reply,

“It’s a pile of clues about a man who lived long ago… whose work is still being built upon the earth. His MAGNUM OPUS {say that with a flourish and a British accent} is here—> in this box. Welllll …sort of…. anyway, it was unfinished when he died annnnd you wouldn’t BELIEVE *how* he died! It’s the wildest tale of mistaken identity. …But if you guys would rather play Minecraft….” and shrug and eat a scoop of your oatmeal.

My kids are tough to crack and experts at eye rolls. “Whatever Mom. Nice try, but I see right through your weirdness. Minecraft for me!” Then use trick number two: BRIBERY. It goes something like this: “Oh, sure–but I happen to have {$5, a favorite meal, a coupon for no chores, etc} for anyone interested in building me a replica of Gaudi’s MAGNUM OPUS in Minecraft.” Mic-drop. Meet ’em where they’re at.

THE STACK:

THE THEME: Antoni Gaudi, architect.

THE BUILDING: his MAGNUM OPUS {most important work}: Sagrada Familia

Now, I am a professional at taking things too far and throwing squelching BOREDOM on the best flames of curiosity. So I am admonishing you, as a self-proclaimed frequent failure at this: take it ONLY as far as interest allows. When you see broccoli (I mean marshmallows) start bouncing off foreheads: get outta there, change gears, put it away for a week, or sell it all on Ebay.

These are NOT steps. These are breadcrumbs–use whatever idea you want in whatever order you want, let it lead to the next…they are all equal sized…and all lead to knowledge. In any order you choose. Maybe all at once. Maybe not. For the sake of example, I will explain a workable scenario. But I already can hardly wait to hear your tweaks!

BREADCRUMB #1: GAME!

GAME TITLE: SAGRADA {by Floodgate Games}

Ask the curious if they’d like to play a game with you based on Gaudi’s incomplete MAGNUM OPUS. If they’re competitive, tell them if they win you’ll tell them about Gaudi’s death and why it’s important to wear nice pants in public. If they lose: they have to find out how Gaudi died by reading to YOU while wearing their ugliest pants. Or something like that. You do you. You’ve got this. If your children are young, wrap the game and introduce it as a gift. I often use old gift wrap as an added element of suspense here.

While playing, you might tell them that the game was inspired by a building Gaudi designed in 1883, a building that’s actually STILL in the CONSTRUCTION phase! It’s full of breathtaking stained glass windows, and TONS of careful logic–which is the basis of the game. Beautiful math!

BREADCRUMB #2: BOOKS!

Curl up cozy for stories! Picture books will help you introduce Gaudi …and answer the question still lingering in the air: howwww did he die? What does it have to do with clothes?? Don’t be shy about using picture books with all ages. I use them all the time for my own adult learning. Think of them as cliff-notes, the essential facts, presented non-boring. If time is short–just pick one title, and leave the others around the house for kids to pick up on a whim. If they are left with unanswered questions–you’ve just turned your breadcrumb trail into a recipe for self-exploration. Sometimes I will model curiosity and ask questions aloud… “I wonder WHY he loved stained glass so much?” or “I wonder if we get the word GAUDY from GAUDI since some despised his style…” Buildings can show the belief system and thoughts of the mind who made them–if we’re willing to listen.

Recommended titles:

1. “Building on Nature: The Life of Antoni Gaudi,” by Rachel Victoria Rodriguez – a picture book biography for ALL ages

2. “Gargoyles, Girders, & Glass Houses: Magnificent Master Builders,” by Bo Zaunders – a picture book for ALL ages with a section on “Barcelona’s Gaudi, the Architect Who Didn’t Like Straight Lines.”

3. “The Sagrada Familia: The Astonishing Story of Gaudi’s Unfinished Masterpiece,” by Gijs van Hensbergen – a non-fiction book great for older students interested in discovering more.

BREADCRUMB #3: VIRTUAL TOUR!

Thanks to modern technology, you can visit Sagrada Familia virtually. Be sure to check out the BEAUTIFUL stained glass. I dare say it’s entirely unforgettable and seeing it, even on screen, did something to my soul. Click HERE for the interactive virtual tour on the official SagradaFamilia.org website. It’s a playground of all things Gaudi… and is a space I would willingly waste time in.

A HANDFUL OF BREADCRUMBS TOSSED: HANDS-ON FUN!

If interest is sparked, run with it! Some ideas to dive deeper:

1. Art! Create ‘stained glass’ for your child’s bedroom or a window in your home. This could be as inexpensive as a faux craft from pinterest using items you have around the house, a sun-catcher kit from a craft store, or as elaborate as a session in an art studio offering tutorials. Ideally you will end up with your own little piece of Sagrada-inspired rainbow light ~ to brighten your space and remind you that details imbue spaces with life and affect our human experience.
   
2. Geography! Locate Barcelona, Spain on a map. Would your child love to visit one day? Me tooooo! Have them dream up a Spanish vacation — complete with estimated costs. How much are passports? How does one obtain them? How long does that take? What is the cost of plane tickets? What currency is used in Barcelona, and what is the exchange rate? Do you need tickets to tour Sagrada Familia? Because your chaperone {mom} wants tickets!!
   
3. Model-making! Now, if you would tell a seasoned, pro-architect to create a model of Sagrada Familia (or…any of Gaudi’s buildings…) they would break out in a cold sweat. This one’s HARD. So take a deep breath and cast-off perfection! Let’s take a step toward it anyway for the purpose of enhancing careful observation. Or: for the competitive kids–toss it to them as a CHALLENGE. Create a model of Sagrada Familia (or of your favorite portion of it!) using clay or play dough. Perhaps set a timer to make it an observation game with no heavy expectations of finished perfection. Have your children guess which portion you’ve tried to create! If you have a skilled artisan on your hands–try building the paper model from Canon Papercraft! It’s free… but I’ll warn you upfront: the estimated construction time is 10 HOURS. Not too shabby for a building that’s taken over 100 years to construct…? If your student takes on this level of investment, when the model is complete: treat it like high art. Give it a prominent display space. And do what the pro’s do: photograph it for a design portfolio. Even if it’s not PERFECT! Because nothing is perfect this side of heaven–I feel like Gaudi would be the first to agree.

REMEMBER THE GOAL:

The goal is not to raise an architect. The goal isn’t even to memorize the name Gaudi or recognize Sagrada Familia in a building lineup. The goal is to offer our children an opportunity to be inspired by beauty. When we do this, we help our children see themselves as important souls living on a planet with other important souls, all here for a divine purpose, all offering up our unique gifts, all affecting one another and leaving our beautiful mark somehow. It doesn’t matter if they forget the architect or the experience that got them there.

I know what you’re thinking: WAIT! HOW DID GAUDI DIE??? Well, what kind of Great Conjurer of Interest-er would I be if I handed out the answer? 😉

What this study covers:

Logic + architectural history + biography + design theory + abstract thinking + language arts + math + geography …AND NO STUDENT WILL EVER EVEN REALIZE IT. SO SHHHhhhh.

Like this idea?

There’s more up the sleeve it came from. Drop me a comment below if you’d like more posts from Saltbox Colonial’s: ARCHITECTURE FOR KIDS.