Architecture & STEAM with CLP Mt. Washington

It was another exciting adventure in STEAM last Thursday with The Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh! 

Miss Laura kicked off an architecture lesson with the book, "The Three Little Pigs: an Architectural Tale".  Exploring Architecture is a great opportunity for our kids as it combines both art and science in the form of beauty and building design.  Here is a brief synopsis of the book:

"In this quirky, artsy retelling of “The Three Little Pigs,” the pigs and their homes are nods to three famous architects—Frank Gehry, Phillip Johnson, and Frank Lloyd Wright—and their signature homes. Each house is filled with clever details, including furnishings by the architects and their contemporaries" 

Our students excitedly listened to this new twist on a classic tale.  One of the things our youth enjoyed most was seeing the styles of the three famous architects listed above.  

After the reading, the kids were excited to see that Miss Laura had yet another exciting activity up her sleeve: KEVA planks!  What are KEVA planks you may ask?  KEVA planks are an interactive tool through which kids can build previously designed structures, or let their imaginations run wild.  

Above from clockwise right:  Ray and Azare work together to build a masterpiece; Jeffrey creates a building; Josh and Damari create a small town; Jay builds an intricate tower.

The kids enjoyed creating both independently and as a team.  Check out these finished projects below!

Above left: an impressive tower built by Davon.  Above right: Edwin with his captivating flower!

As you can see, our youth had a great time exploring the art and science of architecture!  It was great to see their interest sparked and that some would like to pursue architecture in the future.   A huge thank you to Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh Mt. Washington for their dedication to imagination and our youth.


- Anna