Goal: To learn how people lived long ago.
Long ago, people's homes and businesses were designed in a different way
because they lived in a different way. Generally, they had bigger
families and didn't have cars, electricity, or telephones. By learning
about the houses they lived in, you will have a better understanding of
history. You can also make friends with the people in the past!
1. With the help of your Girl Scout Troop Leader, find one of the oldest
buildings in your community or a building that has been designated as a
national landmark. Your local library and historical society can also
help you.
2. Visit the house or building. If it is a museum, walk around inside
and look at the different rooms carefully. Find out when it was
built.
3. Take photographs or draw sketches of the house. Include a picture of
the whole house and one or two details, like the front door or
interesting windows. Buildings that are national landmarks are
registered with the National Register of Historic Places, a government
organization that can give you lots of information and illustrations,
too.
4. The house or building may have a certain architectural style, like
"Victorian," "Federal," or "Spanish Colonial." An architectural style is
determined by when the building was constructed and what sort of design
or building materials were used. Find out what its style name is.
5. Ask questions from people who work at the museum, historical society,
or local library about the house or building you are working on. If you
can, find out who lived or worked there. What kind of life do you think
they lived? What was very different about their lives compared to yours?
Would you like to have lived during that time? Why or why not?
6. Arrange the information you have gathered on a poster board ( or oak
tag). Print the name of your building at the top. Glue on your
photographs, drawings, and any illustrations you have . Write the
information you have learned on pieces of paper, and attach these, also.
If you want, you can use markers or crayons to make it more colorful.
Don't forget the date your building was constructed and the style of
architecture.
7. Now you have brought the past to life with your imagination and
research. Congratulations!
|
