Architecture | EDSITEment

The Aztecs — Mighty Warriors of Mexico

The Aztec capital of Tenochtitlan was the hub of a rich civilization that dominated the region of modern-day Mexico at the time the Spanish forces arrived. In this lesson, students will learn about the history and culture of the Aztecs and discover why their civilization came to an abrupt end.

Lesson 3: A President's Home and the President's House

After completing this lessons in the unit, students will be able to give specific examples demonstrating how the present-day White House reflects the duties, powers, and privileges of the office of President; compare and contrast Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello with the White House.

Lesson 1: How Was the White House Designed?

After completing this lesson in the unit, students will be able to take a stand on whether the chosen White House design or one simpler or grander would best reflect what our President’s house has come to represent.

Lesson 2: How and Why Has the White House Changed?

After completing this lesson in the unit, students will be able to discuss some of the changes the White House has undergone in more than two centuries.

Lessons of the Indian Epics: The Ramayana: Showing your Dharma

The Citadel of Lanka, a detail from "Hanuman Visists Sita in Lanka,"

The story of the Ramayana has been passed from generation to generation by numerous methods and media. Initially it was passed on orally as an epic poem that was sung to audiences by a bard, as it continues to be today.

Angkor What? Angkor Wat!

The"Terrace of Elephants" at Angkor Wat, Cambodia.

Beginning in the 9th century the Khmer empire, which was based in what is today northwestern Cambodia, began to gather power and territory in mainland Southeast Asia. It would grow to be one of the largest empires in Southeast Asian history. In this lesson, students will learn about Angkor Wat and its place in Cambodian, and Southeast Asian, history. Students will attempt to “read” the temple, in a way which resembles the reading of a primary document, to gain insight into this history.

Following the Great Wall of China

A view of a portion of the Great Wall of China, which stretches across some 1200 miles of northern China.

The famous Great Wall of China, which was built to keep the China’s horse-riding neighbors at bay, extends more than 2,000 kilometers across China, from Heilongjiang province by Korea to China’s westernmost province of Xinjiang. This lesson will investigate the building of the Great Wall during the Ming Dynasty, and will utilize the story of the wall as a tool for introducing students to one period in the rich history of China.

Leonardo da Vinci: Creative Genius

Leonardo da Vinci—one of history’s most imaginative geniuses—was certainly born at the right time and in the right place. In this lesson plan, the students will explore Leonardo da Vinci and the age in which he lived and consider the meaning of the Greek quotation, “Man is the measure of all things” and why it particularly applies to the Renaissance and to Leonardo.

Mission Nuestra Señora de la Concepción and the Spanish Mission in the New World

Mission Nuestra Señora de la Concepción de Acuña, San Antonio, Texas, 1755. Convento and church at dusk.

In this Picturing America lesson, students explore the historical origins and organization of the Spanish missions in the New World, and discover the varied purposes these communities of faith served.

In Old Pompeii

Vesuvius from Portici, c. 1774–1776. Joseph Wright (British, 1734–1797), oil on canvas, 101 x 127 cm.

A virtual field trip to the ruins of Pompeii. In this lesson, students learn about everyday life, art and culture in ancient Roman times, then display their knowledge by creating a travelogue to attract visitors to the site. They can also write an account of their field trip modeled on a description of Pompeii written by Mark Twain.

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