Picture This: Designing a Castle – The Architectural Accomplishments of Julia Morgan

A Women’s History Month celebrating this amazing early female architect  -- a great S.T.E.A.M. (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, & Math) program.

“Come learn the story of one of the world’s first female architects – a woman who designed more than 800 buildings including William Randolph Hearst’s magnificent castle in California, San Simeon! Then we’ll try creating our own architectural masterpieces!”  Kindergarten through 5^th grade.

· Open by asking kids what they want to do when they grow up – then ask has anyone ever told them they couldn’t plan to do an occupation because women couldn’t do that! Julia Morgan born 1872 wouldn’t let people say “no.”

· Read: Julia Morgan Built a Castle by Celeste Davidson Mannis– JB Morgan Resource book – excellent background & pictures Hearst Castle San Simeon by Thomas R Aidala (708.194 AID)  Children’s book: Hearst Castle: An American Palace by Barbara Knox (J979.478 KNO)

· Show Powerpoint pictures of Hearst Castle

· Have kids explore building strength – the power of triangles – “Building Houses” exercise from Mixing in Math website http://mixinginmath.terc.edu/Coversheets&Activites/Building&Design_all.pdf p.4 (Supplies: newspaper, masking tape, broomstick handle) (newspaper pole rolling instructions in Steven Caney's Ultimate Building Book J624CAN p.298)

· Have kids draw or create their own architectural masterpieces (building materials: paper, pencils, rulers, markers, glue, tape, toilet paper & towel rolls, cardboard boxes (cereal box type), wallpaper, hole punches, string, etc.)

· Display structure (J264) and architecture books.

3/2013 What’s Knex’t? is another version of this program.