All things big and small
Lesson Two: Skyscraper
Burj Khalifa in Dubai
Lesson Objectives
To learn about the role of scale when creating large architecture.
To create our own 'big' sculpture only using 'small' objects.
Teachers Notes
The Burj Khalifa is actually the tallest building in the whole world, totalling at 830 metres tall and can provide some great geographical links through discussion of it's location. This image of the skyscraper is particularly significant in highlighting the immese height of the tower, with it's lower angle perspective. This is also emphasised through comparison to the other buildings within the photograph.
This image should highlight to the children how 'big' and 'small' have varying conotations, and can be in reference to height as well as size. It should provoke children to think about how a building such as this can be built, and how it's inner aspects must be asjusted to a specific scale.
Key Questions and Vocabulary
1.What can you use in the photograph to determine the height of this tower?
2. How does the angle of the photograph change our perspective of the tower?
3. What would an architect have to think about when building a tower?
4. How would scale affect these elements?
Scale - Angle - Height - Size - Perspective
The Lesson as Part of a Sequence
This image is in complete contrast to the first in the sequence of lessons, in order to encourage children to think about the 'big' aspect in relation to scale. It should also allow them to view 'scale' as to having 'real-life' uses, such as being a valuable tool for an architect.
The children will be presented with a range of objects, such as matchsticks, pipe-cleaners, paper-clips, lolly-pop sticks, and straws, which all present the user with a small scale. Children will work collaboratively in groups to create a tower using these objects of their choice. They must consider how they can make their tower as tall as possible, but must ensure that there is appropriate scale and strong structure to their sculpture. They can also be creative in their design of the tower, which will allow for a range of differing towers to be produced.