The lessons in the Art & Architecture Curriculum explore works of art that depict architecture-inspired art. Lessons in this interdisciplinary curriculum engage students in topics in the disciplines of visual art, language arts, and/or history–social science.

Beginning-level activities address elementary school standards, intermediate activities address middle school standards, and advanced activities address high school standards. However, middle and high school teachers can use less advanced activities in warm-up discussions or to review basic principles.

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Architecture Vocabulary (PDF, 137KB)

Lessons 1-4 of 4

Creating a Garden (Beginning Level)
Grades/Level: Lower Elementary (K–2), Upper Elementary (3–5)
Subjects: Visual Arts, English—Language Arts
Lesson Overview: Students will observe images of gardens, visualizing and imagining the shapes, colors, textures, sounds, and smells of the plants, flowers, and other objects in a garden. They will also write about and sketch their observations. Students will then design and create a model of their own imagined garden.

Verdure with Château/Werniers

Architectural Elements in Art (Intermediate Level)
Grades/Level: Middle School (6–8)
Subjects: Visual Arts
Lesson Overview: Students will examine the use of the elements of art, including line, shape, form, texture, and color, in a drawing. They will also study the elements of architecture and learn to identify architectural elements in detail and their relationship to the surrounding landscape. Then students will draw an ancient Roman temple in perspective, integrating architectural elements in the drawing.

Temple of Hercules/Hackert

Analyzing Paintings about Architecture (Advanced Level)
Grades/Level: High School (9–12)
Subjects: Visual Arts, English—Language Arts
Lesson Overview: Students will examine two paintings and discuss the use of architectural elements and vantage points in the paintings. Referring to the elements of art, students will also examine how three-dimensional shapes are transformed into two-dimensional forms in paintings, as well as the use of indoor space vs. outdoor space.

Interior St. Bavo/Saenredam

The Poetry of Architecture (Advanced Level)
Grades/Level: High School (9–12)
Subjects: Visual Arts, English—Language Arts
Lesson Overview: Students will examine architectural structures in paintings and how they are used, also considering the art elements, composition, emphasis, color, and light. They will also study the relationship between the built environment and nature in the paintings. Students then complete activities in which they select words and phrases to describe a painting's mood and write related poetry. Then they create drawings and write related poetry. As an optional activity, students may construct their own camera obscura and create a drawing.

Modern Rome/Turner

Lessons 1-4 of 4