Lesson: Architecture Walk
An active architecture lesson for small teams (groep 7-8 / ages 10-12). Walk through any town and learn to read buildings: their shapes, materials, decorations and eras. Teams photograph examples and answer quiz questions about what they see. Works in any street with a mix of buildings.
Challenges (15)
Tallest building visible
Find the tallest building you can see right now. Photograph it from a spot where the whole building fits in the frame. Try to count how many floors it has.
Four materials
Find buildings made of four different materials: brick, glass, wood and concrete (or stone). Photograph one example of each, four photos total.
Old next to new
Find a place where an old-looking building stands right next to a modern one. Photograph both in the same shot. The bigger the contrast, the better.
A round element
Find something round in a building: a round window, a circular tower, a dome, an arched doorway. Photograph it close enough to see the round shape clearly.
Symmetrical facade
Find a building whose front is perfectly symmetrical (the left and right sides mirror each other). Photograph it head-on. Draw the line of symmetry on the screen if you can.
A tower or spire
Find a building with a tower or a tall pointed spire. Could be a church, a town hall, an old factory chimney. Photograph the tower from below looking up.
Most windows
Hunt for the building with the most windows on the side facing you. Photograph it and count exactly how many windows you can see.
Decorative detail
Find a building with a decorative detail on the outside: a carved face, a flower, a date, an animal, a coat of arms. Photograph the detail close-up.
Three roof shapes
Find three different roof shapes: pointed (triangular), flat, and curved or sloped. Photograph one of each.
A beautiful door
Hunt for the most beautiful or interesting front door you can find. Photograph it from straight on. Bonus if it has a number, a knocker or a strange handle.
A bridge
Find a bridge of any size (a footbridge, a road bridge, even a small one over a stream). Photograph it from the side so the whole shape is visible.
Architecture team finale
As a team, pick the most interesting building you found today. Take a final team photo in front of it and write down one word that describes what you like about it.
Quiz: Tall building name
A very tall building with many many floors has a special name. What is it called?
Answers: skyscraper / a skyscraper
Quiz: Brick sides
A standard brick is shaped like a small box. How many flat sides (faces) does a brick have?
Answers: 6 / six
Quiz: Curved doorway top
When the top of a doorway or window is curved instead of straight, the curved shape has a name. What do we call this curved shape?
Answers: arch / an arch