I keep revisiting this thematic unit each year, and finding new ways to engage students in cross-curricular STEAM learning. This year, I had the kindergarten come up with new house designs (all of our homes here in Istanbul look the same!) while the first graders did print and collage landscapes.
We began with drawing our homes from memory. Then we looked at images of different types of homes made with different materials and students described the details they observed. We made blueprints of new house designs, and the final step was to build a model. This was a great way to clear out all of the recyclables that have accumulated in our classroom! We discussed the difference between shapes and forms in creating these ideas in 3D. Once forms were glued together onto a base, students added textural details, doors and windows before painting the finished designs.
Gateway Art 