Inspired Teaching School

3rd Grade, Mr. D and Mr. M

24-27 Students
October 22 and 23
SPEs: Esther Probst
Theme: Engineering & Design
Common Core Standards:
(3- 5-ETS1-1) Influence of Engineering, Technology, and Science on Society
and the Natural World
(3- 5-ETS1-1) Peoples needs and wants change over time, as do their
demands for new and improved technologies.
W.5.8 Recall relevant information from experiences or gather relevant
information from print and digital sources; summarize or paraphrase
information in notes and finished
W.5.9 Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis,
reflection, and research.
Props/Materials Needed in:
Educator Bags

25 iPods/7 iPads
Paper
Pencils
Cardstock
Collage Materials
Straws
Pipe Cleaners
Model Magic
Index cards

Introduction (5 min)
Hello! My name is Esther Probst and I am from the Phillips Collection.
Can anyone tell me what we did last week?
Thats right, we looked at the Washington Arch
painting from 1893, the photograph of it in 2010 and you all
made artworks of what the Arch would look like in 125 years.
Thats great.
Well today we are going to look at the painting by Childe Hassam
again!
We are going to look really closely.

 Remember to look with your iPods and iPads you can

zoom in closely observe.
Last time we wrote down all of the things you noticed
in the painting, now we will talk about it together.

VTS: (10 mins.)

Visible Thinking Activity:
Pass out the iPods and iPads.
Give the students some time to look at the painting
through their iPods and iPads. After the allotted time is up the
image will turn blank.
Then ask:
What do you see in this painting?
What makes you say that?
Have the students back up what they see
through their iPods and iPads.
What is the environment/ habitat that is surrounding the arch?
What is the purpose of this arch? Can there be any other
purposes for arches?
What makes you say that?

Transition: Now you are all going to become engineers you will create an
arch a HUMAN arch. With your bodies!
Just like engineers and designers you will need to make sure your arch wont
fall down. It needs to stay up for 125 years or more! Just like the drawings we
created last week.
Human Arch (5 mins.)
Instructions: Have two kids form an arch by placing their palms together
and leaning toward each other, sliding their feet as far back as they can.
Demonstrate it for them with a student or
Caution them not to lose their balance.
Ask: Where do you feel a push or a pull? What made your human arch
strong?

Transition Now that you see what makes a strong arch, you will make your
own arch with various materials. Just like you brainstormed to see how your
arch would work, I want you to work together and help each other!
But before you make your strong arch, think what habitat it would be in?
Where would you put your arch? Why would you put it there?

Artwork (15 mins.)

REMEMBER: Think of what environment and place you would like your arch
would be.
Pass out cardstock, collage materials to all of the students.
On the back of the cardstock write your name, title of your arch, its purpose,
and where it would be.
Tell the students to take time to think about it.
Arch Creation (10 minutes)
Think about your human arch and how you made it strong, and
the shapes that it made.
You can refer back to the painting for inspiration!
Now you will have to work together.
Share ideas!
Brainstorm and remember to help each other!
Gallery Walk (8 min)
Ask the students to place their hands behind the back and walk around the
classroom to see their friends work.
Conclusion (5 min)
How does your arch look differently from Childe Hassams painting. How does
it look the same? Is making an arch easy? Is it fun?
BACKGROUND:
WASHINGTON ARCH
Washington Square Arch, constructed of white Tuckahoe marble (Westchester
marble), was modeled by Stanford White on the Arc de Triomphe, built in
1806, in Paris (itself modeled on the Arch of Titus). It stands 77 feet (23 m)
high. The piers stand 30 feet (9.1 m) apart and the arch opening is 47 feet
(14 m) high. The iconography of the Arch centers on images of war and
peace. On the frieze are 13 large stars and 42 small stars interspersed with

capital "W"s. The spandrels contain figures of Victory. The inscription on the
attic story reads:
Let us raise a standard to which the wise and the honest can repair. The
event is in the hand of God.
Washington
The north side of the eastern pier bears the sculpture George Washington as
Commander-in-Chief, Accompanied by Fame and Valor (191416) by Hermon
A. MacNeil in which the President is flanked by Fame (left) and Valor (right).
The western pier has George Washington as President, Accompanied by
Wisdom and Justice (191718) by A. Stirling Calder (father of Alexander
Calder) with flanking Justice (right) and Wisdom (left) figures.[1] In the latter
sculpture, a hand holds a book bearing the Latin phrase Exitus Acta Probat
("the end justifies the deed"). These sculptures are commonly referred to as
Washington at War and Washington at Peace, respectively.