Golden Landmarks

Towers, domes, pinnacles---Golden Landmarks are found around the world. Your drawings of these architectural marvels gleam and shimmer!

• 1.

  Almost every culture and tradition marks its most important places by constructing beautiful architecture on those sites. Those buildings, which are created to inspire the people who view and use them, are often very large and ornate. Many have golden surfaces that reflect the sun so they sparkle and glow.

• 2.

  Locate, research, and compare important golden-surfaced structures from various cultures, such as the Golden Temple or Darbar Sahib, Amritsar, Punjab, India; the Grand Palace in Bangkok, Thailand; the Dome of the Rock, Jerusalem, Israel; the Shrine of Shah-e' Cheragh, Shiraz, Iran; and the Cathedral of St. Sophia, Novgorod, Russia. Observe similarities and differences in these impressive architectural landmarks.

• 3.

  Choose elements of structures that you find the most beautiful, such as towers, pinnacles, doors, and windows and invent a structure in your imagination. Or select one impressive structure to represent.

• 4.

  Use Crayola® Metallic FX Crayons to draw your real or imaginary Golden Landmark. Blue paper works well for the sky behind your building. Fill your paper with intricate architectural details and include the building's setting, such as a lake or trees.

• 5.

  Use Crayola Glitter Glue to highlight the gold sparkling in the sun. Dry.

• 6.

  With the Crayola metallic colored pencils, write a description of what your building commemorates. Display it with your drawing.

Benefits

• Students examine several golden landmark structures and architectural features found in cultures worldwide.
• Children compare and contrast architecture, ornamentation, and meanings of the buildings they explore.
• Students draw an architectural structure that incorporates elements of selected architectural styles or represents a specific landmark.

Adaptations

• Identify important structures from several cultural traditions. Explore the history, meaning, and architectural similarities and differences associated with these landmarks.
• Sculpt 3-D golden landmarks with Crayola Model Magic. Paint them with gold CrayolaPremier Tempera Paint and add highlights with Crayola Glitter Glue. Add jewels and sequins to finish the glittering effect.
• Use research findings to create a timeline showing construction dates, locations, and other important features some of the world's Golden Landmarks. Which is the oldest? Newest? Largest? Most visited?