5th graders are now beginning a project on greek temple design. The "temple design" project is an integrated exploration of social studies, writing, dance, math, art and technology. In this project students are immersed in Google Sketchup, a free 3d modeling software, to design a model temple. To begin the study, students research the unique attributes of Greek Temples, including vocabulary, design principles and scale. The results of our research become the guidelines for the sketchup design. Students will then use the software to design the temple choosing column style, altar, diety etc. Importantly, they will also measure dimensions and submit the "proposal" to teachers for feedback. Our feedback will include suggestions for changing scale, ratios, and other mathematically challenging tasks.
In dance class, students will choreograph a pose dedicated to their chosen a god or goddess. These detailed live sculptural poses are based on the students' research through books and a visit to the ancient Greek Art exhibits at the Metropolitan museum. Photographs of the students' pose will be added to the entryways of their deities' temples. Your children will become the centerpiece of their individually designed Greek temples!
Finally, we will take the final models and virtually place them (facing east of course!) on the Greek landscape within Google Earth. Our final product will be a Greek geographical tour of our student temples.
Last year, 5th graders designed their own version of the Olympic venues in Beijing. Here is a video with the results of that project.
Students also explored the city geography and created a collaboartive Google Map, plotting the venues and using html code to embed stock images:
View Beijing Olympic Venues in a larger map
