National Building Museum
 

Homeschool Day

Friday, January 31, 2014

Homeschool Day Calendar

 

Friday, January 31, 2014

10:00 AM - 12:00 PM

Add-on Exhibition Tickets

 

10:00 AM - 12:00 PM

Engineering Egg Drop (Ages 7-9) 10:00-12:00

Students learn about the process engineers use to bring new ideas to life. Students are then given an engineering problem to solve: how can they get a dropped raw egg safely from the Museum’s second floor balcony to the first floor carpet without breaking? Students then get two attempts to design a structure to keep their egg safe during its drop -- using only one sheet of paper and a rubber band!

 

10:00 AM - 12:00 PM

Fuller's Fantastic Geodesic Dome (Ages 10-14) 10:00-12:00

Buckminster Fuller is best known for developing the structurally-innovative geodesic dome, which has been called, “the strongest, most cost-effective structure ever devised.” Students learn about engineering principles and geometry as they investigate geodesic domes. Students then work together to construct a 6.5 x 13’ geodesic dome in the Museum’s Great Hall and apply what they have learned by assembling their own “geo” balls to take home. Prepare your student for this program with pre-visit lessons.

 

10:30 AM - 12:00 PM

Build a Green Roof (Ages 5-7) 10:30-12 noon

Students learn about green roofs, the practice of growing plants on a building’s roof to absorb rain water and to make buildings more environmentally friendly. After looking at photographs of green roofs, students build a model house with craft materials and a roof using real dirt and grass seeds. Students will take home their houses to watch their green roofs grow!

 

10:30 AM - 12:00 PM

Patterns Here, There, and Everywhere (Ages 4-6) 10:30 am-12 noon

Students learn about the importance of patterns in the buildings and world around them. On a scavenger hunt of the Museum’s building, students identify shapes and patterns by examining the walls, floors, and ceiling of the Museum. After investigating the Museum building, students head to a museum classroom to create patterns in individual booklets with a variety of materials. Prepare your student for this program with pre-visit lessons.

 

1:00 PM - 3:00 PM

Architecture 101 (Ages 7-9) 1:00-3:00 pm

Students explore the Museum’s new interactive exhibition, Play Work Build, as part of a fun and fast-paced introduction to how architects use the design process. Students observe, draw, and use their math knowledge to learn two skills crucial to being an architect: model making and building planning.  Students will take home their drawings.

 

1:00 PM - 3:00 PM

Be a Green Builder (Ages 10-14) 1:00-3:00

Students become carpenters and use power screwdrivers to raise the roof and wall frames as they assemble an 8’ x 11’ house. While building, they learn about the hidden features that support buildings: foundations, frames, and trusses. Students are also introduced to sustainable “green” building materials and choices. Prepare your student for this program with pre-visit lessons.

 

1:00 PM - 3:00 PM

Engineering Egg Drop (Ages 10-14) 1:00-3:00

Students learn about the process engineers use to bring new ideas to life. Students are then given an engineering problem to solve: how can they get a dropped raw egg safely from the Museum’s second floor balcony to the first floor carpet without breaking? Students then get two attempts to design a structure to keep their egg safe during its drop -- using only one sheet of paper and a rubber band!

 

1:00 PM - 2:30 PM

My House, My Home (Ages 4-6) 1:00-2:30

Students explore the Museum's House & Home exhibition to learn about different kinds of American homes, both past and present. Through the exhibition's photographs and models and a participatory book reading, students learn about the process of building a house and the features common to all homes. Students then create their own houses out of colorful craft materials to take home.