Higher and Higher: Amazing

Procedures: 1. Help students brainstorm the names of some famous skyscrapers. Many are probably familiar with the in or the Sears in . Have a brief discussion about why people build such giant . For example, they are efficient in crowded because they provide maximum or living space while taking up a small amount of ground. They have also become cultural or industrial icons and a source of pride for the city in which they are found.

2. Now create your own in your classroom or in a nearby hall. Assign each student to the following skyscrapers: 1) , 2) Willis (Sears) Tower, 3), 4) , 5) , 6) Sky Tree – , 7) 101 Tower, 8) Freedom Tower, 9) , 10) , 11) Makkah Royal Tower, 12) World Financial Tower, 13) International Commerce Center, 14) , 15) KK100, 16) , 17) , 18) Tower 19) , 20) , 21) The Domain, 22) , 23) Two International Hotel and Tower, 24) Bank of America Tower, 25) Bank of Tower, 26) Central Plaza . Have the students answer the following questions about their :

Part 1 (6.25 Points each) 1. Where is located? 2. When was it completed? 3. How long did the take? 4. How tall is it? 5. What materials were used in its construction? 6. Who was the architect who designed the building? 7. What were some of the goals the architect was trying to accomplish? 8. Do you think he or she succeeded in meeting those objectives? 9. During what year(s) was it the tallest building in the world? When, if ever, did it lose its title? 10. Where does this building rank today among the tallest in the world? 11. What materials or enabled it to surpass the heights of previously constructed skyscrapers? 12. How many people visit this skyscraper each day/week/month/year? 13. What were some of the challenges involved in building it? 14. Were any people injured or killed during the building process? 15. What are some important events that took place in this skyscraper? 16. What type of building is it? (commercial office space, hotel, residential, etc.)

The following Web sites are good sources of information about these buildings: General Skyscraper Web Sites Reaching New Heights: The History of Skyscrapers http://www.historychannel.com/skyscrapers/ World’s Tallest Towers (chart/bar graph) http://www.skyscraper.org/tallest/tallest.htm Skyscrapers http://members.nbci.com/iNetwork/NYC/nyc.html The Skyscraper’s Buildings page http://www.iit.edu/~boonchv/building.html http://www.emporis.com/buildings http://www.sciencekids.co.nz/sciencefacts/topten/tallestbuildings.html http://skyscraperpage.com/diagrams/?searchID=203

Higher and Higher: Amazing Skyscrapers

Famous Skyscraper Web Sites

Petronas Towers http://www.skyscraper.org/tallest/t_petronas.htm http://www.historychannel.com/exhibits/skyscrapers/tallest/petro.html http://www.klcc.com.my/Showcase/PTT/ps_ptt_overview.htm http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/buildingbig/wonder/structure/petronas_towers.html

Sears Tower http://www.skyscraper.org/tallest/t_sears.htm http://www.historychannel.com/exhibits/skyscrapers/tallest/sears.html http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/buildingbig/wonder/structure/sears_tower.html

Chrysler Building http://www.skyscraper.org/tallest/t_chrysler.htm http://www.luciddreams.com/chryslerbuilding/ http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/buildingbig/wonder/structure/chrysler.html

Empire State Building http://www.skyscraper.org/tallest/t_empire.htm http://www.historychannel.com/exhibits/skyscrapers/tallest/esb.html http://www.esbnyc.com/html/history.html http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/buildingbig/wonder/structure/empire_state.html

Burj Khalifa, Unite Arab Emirates http://www.burjkhalifa.ae/language/en-us/the-tower.aspx http://www.glasssteelandstone.com/BuildingDetail/701.php http://skyscraperpage.com/cities/?buildingID=7787 http://www.skyscraper.org/home_flash.htm

Part 2 (See rubric) 3. Create a skyline in the class. After the students complete their research, have each create an elevation/illustration, of its skyscraper poster board. Each student should use the same scale, such as 2 ½”of illustration = 200 feet of actual skyscraper (teacher will determine scale). At the bottom of the illustration, ask them to include a stick figure of a 5-foot person for size comparison.

Part 3 (10 Points each) 4. Create a header/building name with basic facts about the building (name, year built, location, height). 5. Then write 10 fun/interesting facts about the building on sticky notes and post them around their illustration.

Part 5 (10 points each) Questions: 1. How do engineers make skyscrapers strong enough to withstand , high winds, and severe changes in temperature?

2. If you could visit any skyscraper in the world, which one would you pick? Why?

3. How do you think a skyscraper enhances a city? Higher and Higher: Amazing Skyscrapers

4. Why does it instill pride in a city’s residents? Try to find some evidence to support your ideas. 5. If you could a new skyscraper for your town or city, what would it look like? 6. What material(s) would you use to create it? 7. What design elements might you use that reflect your town’s history, culture, or icons? 8. What are some dangers involved in the construction of skyscrapers? 9. What precautions are taken to minimize the risks? 10. Do you think skyscrapers are a good way to deal with space constraints in urban areas? Do you think the advantages of skyscrapers outweigh the disadvantages? Provide evidence to support your answer.

Rubric for skyscraper illustration and final product:

Students should be able to research; create an accurate, attractive illustration of a skyscraper; and find some interesting facts about their skyscraper. Use the following rubric to evaluate students’ work during this lesson:

A - Students used time wisely, created a skyscraper that was visually and factually accurate, displayed creativity and careful planning, and adhered to the required scale. Students also found many interesting facts about their skyscraper. B - Students used time adequately and created a skyscraper illustration that was mostly accurate, showed some creative ideas and forethought, and adhered to the required scale. Students also found some interesting facts about their skyscraper. C - Students had trouble working on the project and using time wisely and created a skyscraper illustration that showed little planning, included minimal information or much inaccurate information, and ignored the scale determined by the class. Students were not able to find many interesting facts about their skyscraper.