1. The class will discuss the functions of a cohesive town.  They will brainstorm necessary buildings and locations.  They will vote on a culture and research the different building styles of that culture using the Internet and books.
2. The teacher will assign each student an individual structure to create.
3. The students will research the style, size, and function of buildings and make several sketches from different perspectives of their building.
4. The teacher will demonstrate how to create a slab built box and how to add and remove clay to create specific details.
5. The students will each create their own building to be contributed to the new class town.
6. The students will work together to organize their finished buildings into a cohesive new town.  Problem solving and teamwork will be crucial.

During the computer

1. The teacher will use the digital drawing tablet to draw the beginnings of a map of the new town (roads and/or landmarks).
2. Each student will add his or her building to scale to the map using the digital drawing tablet.
3. After every building has been added to the map, the students will take turns again using the drawing tablet and will each add one more detail to the map (stop-lights, dogs, trees, signs, etc.)
4. The teacher will print out a copy of the map and make copies for everyone.

After the computer

1. The students will discuss the process of making their town, how the town may look if it had been built in a different culture or location, how the land influences construction and materials.
2. The teacher will show the students how architects such as Frank Lloyd Wright and others built around the landscape.
3. The class will discuss their new appreciation for town layouts and designs of individual, as well as whole-town designs.
4. Additional activities may include writing directions using the map.

Projects will be graded using a process/product-based rubric.

• Discuss common uses of technology in daily life and the advantages and disadvantages those uses provide.
• Use general purpose productivity tools and peripherals to support personal productivity, remediate skill deficits, and facilitate learning throughout the curriculum.
• Use technology tools for individual and collaborative writing, communication, and publishing activities to create knowledge products for audiences inside and outside the classroom.

©2002 Winthrop University. All rights reserved. 
Last updated on February 15, 2002.
Contact Lisa Harris with comments.