1st Graders Become Architects with "Me on the Map"
1 Read "Me on the Map"
Read the story Me on the Map to the children, asking them to make predictions about where the main character will go next and how she can see so many parts of her room and her town.
Read the story again and invite the children to imagine in their own heads what their own bedrooms, houses, and streets look like in their neighborhood.
2 Create a 2D Bedroom Map
Give each student a piece of grid paper and ask them to create a map of their bedroom, just like in Me on the Map.
Discuss what 2D means and why they will use 2D shapes to make their maps.
Show students an example to help them get started.
Create a map of your bedroom. Please take your time and do your best work.
We will make the map using 2D shapes. Remember, a shape that only has two dimensions (such as width and height) and no thickness is 2D. Squares, Circles, Triangles, etc are two dimensional objects.
Think of what shapes you can make to help show different objects and parts of your bedroom. For example, a rectangle could make a good bed.
Remember to add a map key with labels to help other people know what each shape represents on your map.
3 Create a 3D Bedroom model
SketchUp
Introduce students to the program SketchUp. Give them a basic overview of how to use the software.
The tutorial videos are a good place to start: http://www.sketchup.com/learn/videos/58
Give them one or two class periods just to explore and play. Challenge them to create a few basic shapes.
Then, have students use their 2D maps as a plan to create 3D models of their bedrooms. Ask them to think about one thing they would change or add in their bedroom if they were the designers and could do anything they want.
4 Create a How-to Book
Ask students to create a how-to book about making a 3D model. Prompt them to reflect on the entire project, starting with reading Me on the Map, designing a 2D map, learning SketchUp, and creating their room with a new object.
Have them plan their story and then create it using the Book Creator app. Help students take screen shots of their SketchUp projects to add as illustrations .
5 Extension Activity
Invite students to create a fictional story using their new bedrooms. Using screenshots from their SketchUp creations, students could "walk" someone through the room as they progress through the story.