Pre- and Post- Visit Lessons and Activities
Educator Resource Packets are available for five of the Museum's school programs. Scroll down or click on the program's name at the top of the page to download a PDF of that program's entire packet or to select one of the packet's individual lessons.
- Be a Green Builder (Grades 5-9)
This program does not come with a packet. - Bridge Basics (Grades 4-8)
Program not currently being offered. - City by Design (Grades K-5)
- Drawing on History Tour (Grades 3-8)
This program does not come with a packet. - Fuller's Fantastic Geodesic Dome (Grades 5-9)
- Green by Design (Grades 4-9)
- Patterns Here, There, and Everywhere (Grades PreK4-2)
- Washington: Symbol and City (Grades 3-5)
Bridge Basics
Download Entire Packet (48 pages)
City by Design
Download Entire Packet (60 pages)
Individual Lessons:
- Understanding Land Use
Students learn about how buildings and other spaces are organized within a city.
Language Arts, Social Studies, Technology - Moving From Place to Place
Students consider the pros and cons of different types of transportation.
Social Studies, Technology - Investigating Where You Live
Students explore their neighborhood and read a story about a boy who makes a change in his own community.
Language Arts, Social Studies, Technology, Visual Art - Mixing It Up: Zoning Today
Introduces students to city planning by encouraging them to think about their own school and neighborhood.
Social Studies - Using Land Wisely: Smart Growth
Students learn about the differences among urban, suburban, and rural communities.
Language Arts, Social Studies - Where You Live: Take a Closer Look
Four additional activities.
Science, Social Studies - Family Field Trips: Exploring Your Community
Activities that students can do with their families.
Fuller's Fantastic Geodesic Dome
Download Entire Packet (56 pages)
Individual Lessons:
- Introduction to Domes
For the educator. - Who Was Buckminster Fuller?
For the educator. - Understanding Forces at Work: Compression and Tension
Students examine how forces act upon common objects and learn about compression and tension.
Math, Science - Shapes and Solids: Investigating Triangles, Squares, Pyramids, and Cubes
Students compare the strengths of different shapes and solids.
Math, Science, Technological Literacy, Visual Art - Architecture Investigation: Traditional and Geodesic Structures
Students learn about different types of structures that are commonly used in buildings.
Social Studies, Technoloical Literacy, Visual Art - Gedoesic Domes: Take a Closer Look
Four additional activities.
Language Arts, Social Studies, Visual Art - Fun Field Trips: Exploring Your Community
Activities that students can do with their families.
Green by Design
Download Entire Packet (69 pages)
Individual Lessons:
- It's Easy Being Green!
Students learn what it means to be green and discuss ways that they can help the environment.
Social Studies, Visual Art - What a Piece of Junk!
Students compare two objects that serve a similar purpose.
Social Studies, Technological Literacy - Thinking About Home
Students consider what makes a home.
Social Studies - What's in a Region?
Students learn about the climates, physical features, and natural resources of five regions in the U.S.
Social Studies, Technological Literacy, Visual Art - Apple Diaries
Students investigate where their food comes from.
Social Studies, Technological Literacy, Visual Art - Milli's Insulation Investigation
Students evaluate different insulating materials and discuss how insulation is used in houses.
Science - Green by Design: Take a Closer Look
Three additional activities.
Science, Social Studies - Fun Field Trips: Exploring Your Community
Activities that students can do with their families.
Patterns Here, There, and Everywhere
Download Entire Packet (52 pages)
Individual Lessons:
- Shhhh Shapes, Psssst Patterns
Students learn about shapes and patterns, and how they are used in architecture.
Math, Social Studies, Visual Art - Classic Tales and Patterns
Students listen to a story and discuss patterns present in the story.
Language Arts, Math, Visual Art - Designing Stamps, Decorating Streets
Students create architectural stamps and use them to create a streetscape.
Math, Social Studies, Visual Art - Glorious Glass
Students create stained glass windows using paper and cellophane.
Language Art, Math, Social Studies, Visual Art - Mosaic Madness
Students create mosaics using colored paper tiles.
Math, Social Studies, Visual Art - Patterns Here, There, and Everywhere: Take a Closer Look
Four Additional Activities.
Visual Art - Fun Field Trips: Exploring Your Community
Activities that students can do with their families.
Washington: Symbol and City
Individual Lessons:
- Symbols: Signs, Signs, Everywhere Signs!
Students learn about symbols and signs. - Symbolic Architecture
Students learn how buildings can be symbols. - Fun Field Trips: Exploring Your Community
Activities that students can do with their families.
