by Gregory Schmidt
How often do your children/students daydream about having a bigger, better or different bedroom? Maybe this visualizing of a personal play space can be incorporated into school curriculum per their interest in math, design and architecture.
This project offers young people the chance to not only draw out a plan for their ideal room or play space (tree house, club house, kid cave) but it gets them hands-on in seeing what it would really look like. In miniature, that is, because what they have in their mind can be transferred to having it on paper to having it in three-dimensional form. It will be a bit like creating their own doll house.
This can be done by first making a list of all the things available though-out the house that can be glued or tacked together to form a model of their dream room: wood, buttons, card stock, card board, matt board, small toys, thread spools, scraps of fabric, etc.
It's not a glue everything together first and then think about what it is, later, project. This project starts from a design. You could first lay out a two foot by two foot piece of matt board or card board. Then with a pencil they could draw (temporary) lines of where they want walls, doors, windows, furniture, computer, TV screen, and even their pet. It will work best to leave the roof or ceiling off of the design, so that they can work from over-head and have easy hand access to each added component.
The magic must happen up front. Encourage them to not design just another room, like their own room, but to envision novel and unique things that could be of their own making. Sure, the starting matt might just reflect a basic floor plan, but what they build on that is where you need to encourage them that "the sky is the limit." Point out that ramps, pillow furniture, hi-tech music equipment, fish tanks, or unusual lighting can all play into their personal concept.
If you've been to one of the miniature design competitions or can find pictures of such miniatures on line, you'll see that these professionals are creating much more than just doll houses. Let their inspiration and your encouragement set your student on the task of creating something that doesn't exist....yet, until they can draw it out of their own mind. Keep the steps basic: gathering up inventory, laying out a floor plan, cutting the walls and pieces to fit, placing the various lay-out items and adding small toys or trinkets for the finishing touches.
Now, you've probably got a child or two who is too young to handle the intricate work that this calls for, so to keep them from feeling left out here's a simple alternative. Gather up about ten varying shapes and sizes of wood (pieces that can fit into a shoebox). Then on a piece of matt board have them glue together the wood elements into an abstract architectural design that is of their own making. This three-dimensional "invention" will get them, too, started on their way in the field of geometry, drafting and architectural design.
Gregory Schmidt worked with the child actors in his Bueno Gang Kids movie series for 18 months before putting them into their original production on camera. The first two movies in the series have earned the Dove Foundation stamp of approval. They can be purchased by contacting greg@festint.com. The two Bueno Gang movies are also available at ChristianCinema.com.
How often do your children/students daydream about having a bigger, better or different bedroom? Maybe this visualizing of a personal play space can be incorporated into school curriculum per their interest in math, design and architecture.
This project offers young people the chance to not only draw out a plan for their ideal room or play space (tree house, club house, kid cave) but it gets them hands-on in seeing what it would really look like. In miniature, that is, because what they have in their mind can be transferred to having it on paper to having it in three-dimensional form. It will be a bit like creating their own doll house.
This can be done by first making a list of all the things available though-out the house that can be glued or tacked together to form a model of their dream room: wood, buttons, card stock, card board, matt board, small toys, thread spools, scraps of fabric, etc.
It's not a glue everything together first and then think about what it is, later, project. This project starts from a design. You could first lay out a two foot by two foot piece of matt board or card board. Then with a pencil they could draw (temporary) lines of where they want walls, doors, windows, furniture, computer, TV screen, and even their pet. It will work best to leave the roof or ceiling off of the design, so that they can work from over-head and have easy hand access to each added component.
The magic must happen up front. Encourage them to not design just another room, like their own room, but to envision novel and unique things that could be of their own making. Sure, the starting matt might just reflect a basic floor plan, but what they build on that is where you need to encourage them that "the sky is the limit." Point out that ramps, pillow furniture, hi-tech music equipment, fish tanks, or unusual lighting can all play into their personal concept.
If you've been to one of the miniature design competitions or can find pictures of such miniatures on line, you'll see that these professionals are creating much more than just doll houses. Let their inspiration and your encouragement set your student on the task of creating something that doesn't exist....yet, until they can draw it out of their own mind. Keep the steps basic: gathering up inventory, laying out a floor plan, cutting the walls and pieces to fit, placing the various lay-out items and adding small toys or trinkets for the finishing touches.
Now, you've probably got a child or two who is too young to handle the intricate work that this calls for, so to keep them from feeling left out here's a simple alternative. Gather up about ten varying shapes and sizes of wood (pieces that can fit into a shoebox). Then on a piece of matt board have them glue together the wood elements into an abstract architectural design that is of their own making. This three-dimensional "invention" will get them, too, started on their way in the field of geometry, drafting and architectural design.
Gregory Schmidt worked with the child actors in his Bueno Gang Kids movie series for 18 months before putting them into their original production on camera. The first two movies in the series have earned the Dove Foundation stamp of approval. They can be purchased by contacting greg@festint.com. The two Bueno Gang movies are also available at ChristianCinema.com.
