LESSON OVERVIEW

With this architecture lesson plan students learn and practise vocabulary related to design and building. They also engage in a project and design a micro apartment.

WARM-UP & BUILDING CONSTRUCTION VOCABULARY

The lesson starts with a discussion about different types of accommodation in which the definition of ‘micro living’ is introduced. After the warm-up, students read a quotation about the role of architecture in the future and answer two questions about it. The following task pre-teaches them some words related to building construction which they’ll later hear in a video. Students read nine definitions and match them with the words they describe, provided in a box (e.g. timber, insulation, scaffolding).

VIDEO & TALKING ABOUT DESIGN AND BUILDING

In the second part of the lesson students practise listening for specific information. They watch the video and make notes about OPod, an architectural design by James Law. Afterwards, they engage in a discussion about the content of the video, relate it to their own lives and share opinions. The next task focuses on the sentences that  students analyse and try to figure out the meaning of the highlighted verbs used to talk about design and building (e.g. upcycle, refurbish, kit out). Then, they study the verbs again, explain the differences between them and look for synonyms. Next, they agree or disagree with another quote by the architect interviewed in the video and move on to the final task of the lesson – project work. They work in small groups and have to imagine they’re going to design a micro apartment. Choosing from the given spaces and materials and trying to use the language related to design and building, students discuss their ideas and later present their finished projects to the class.