African American Architecture Lesson

LESSON PLAN FOR AFRICAN AMERICAN ARCHITECTURE

Subject:  Social Studies—African American Architecture

Content Objectives:

Students will be able to:

  • Identify with “house” as a symbol for self-expression and a sense of identity.
  • Recognize that African Americans have influenced American architecture.
  • Become familiar with the basic design of the shotgun house with porch.
  • Compare and contrast their house with an African American house by drawing a picture of their house.
  • Create an African American shotgun house of his’her own made out of popsicle sticks.

Materials:

  • Video about slavery and life on the plantation
  • Pictures of African American “shotgun” houses
  • Glue
  • Popsicle sticks
  • Paint
  • Paint brushes
  • Toothpicks (for the roofs)
  • Crayons
  • Paper

Written on the Board

Today we will learn about African American Architecture by:

1.         Watching the video

2.         Discussing the African American houses and how they differ from our own houses.

3.         Drawing own houses.

4.         Making African American shotgun houses out of Popsicle sticks

Procedure and Steps:

1.         Watch video about the African American houses.

2.         Display pictures of some African American houses.

3.         Tell students about the origins of the American front porch and shotgun houses.

4.         Discuss how they are different from students’ houses.

5.         Draw pictures of their own houses.

6.         Have students make their own African American shotgun houses.

Evaluation/Assessment