Construction and Destruction

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In this three/four-day lesson, learners calculate perimeters and areas and draw the castle plan to scale. They develop a timeline outlining the construction of a castle and build catapults, a primary weapon of castle destruction. They understand the skill and effort involved not only in building castles but also in destroying them. This activity is featured on pp.42-44 (part of a lesson that begins on page 35) of the "LEGO® Castle Adventure" unit of study for grades K-6.

Quick Guide

Preparation Time:
5 to 10 minutes
Learning Time:
1 to 7 days
Estimated Materials Cost:
$5 - $10 per group of students
Age Range:
Ages 8 - 14
Resource Types:
Activity, Lesson/Lesson Plan, Model
Language:
English

Materials List (per group of students)

  • Castle by David Macaulay
  • Visual Aid: Plan of a Castle
  • easel pad, plain or with 1-inch grid
  • bulletin board or shelf paper for the Castle Time Line
  • multiple copies of Castle or one book divided into separate sections
  • drawing paper
  • pencils
  • drafting templates
  • rulers
  • meter sticks
  • tape measures
  • materials for catapult (varies depending on choice of plan)

Keywords

Subjects

  • Engineering and Technology
    • Technology
      • Construction
  • Mathematics
    • Geometry
    • Measurement
      • Size and Scale
    • Number and Operations
  • The Nature of Technology
    • Technology and Society
      • Impacts of Technology
      • Technology and History
    • The Design Process
      • Research and Development
      • Invention and Innovation
      • Problem Solving
      • Troubleshooting and Maintenance

Informal Categories

  • Historical Reenactment
  • Literature
  • Model Building
  • Outdoor Activity
  • Toys

Audience

To use this activity, learners need to:

  • see
  • read
  • be mobile
  • touch

Learning styles supported:

  • Involves teamwork and communication skills
  • Links STEM to other topics of interest such as arts and humanities
  • Involves hands-on or lab activities

Other

Includes alignment to state and/or national standards:

Includes assesments for student learning:

This resource is part of:

Access Rights:

  • Free access

By:

Rights:

  • All rights reserved, The Children's Museum of Indianapolis, 2009

Funding Sources:

  • Fazoli's
  • Coca-Cola