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.
- Orientation and Logistics
Please review this information prior to visiting the museum. - Architecture 101 (Grades 2-9)
This program does not come with a resource packet. - Be a Green Builder (Grades 5-9)
- Bridge Basics (Grades 4-8)
Program not currently being offered. - City by Design (Grades K-5)
- Drawing on History Tour (Grades 3-8)
- 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)
Be a Green Builder
Download Entire Packet (66 pages, plus Orientation and Logistics)
Bridge Basics
Download Entire Packet (48 pages)
City by Design
Download Entire Packet (54 pages, plus Orientation and Logistics)
Individual Lessons:
- Understanding Land Use
Students learn about how buildings and other spaces are organized within a city.
Language Arts, Social Studies, Visual Arts - My Perfect City
Students evaluate the city they live in, then propose solutions to some of the problems they identify.
Social Studies, Technological Literacy, Visual Arts - Mixing It Up: Zoning Today
Introduces students to city planning by encouraging them to think about their own school and neighborhood.
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 (43 pages, plus Orientation and Logistics)
Individual Lessons:
- Introduction to Domes
Introductory reading for teachers. - Understanding Forces at Work: Compression and Tension
Students learn about compression and tension and examine how forces act upon common objects.
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.
Drawing on History
This program does not come with an educator resource packet.
- The Pension Puzzler
These student activities can be completed after the museum visit as a way to reinforce students' new knowledge.
Green by Design
Download Entire Packet (49 pages, plus Orientation and Logistics)
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 (37 pages, plus Orientation and Logistics)
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
Download Entire Packet (25 pages, plus Orientation and Logistics)
Individual Lessons:
- Symbolism: 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.
