Learning Objectives 

Students will: 

• Describe elements of American Greek Revival architecture.
• Compare architectural elements of the Parthenon and the Lincoln Memorial.
• Identify the parts of a classical Greek building and the three orders of classical Greek columns.
• Analyze elements of Greek Revival architecture. 
• Design a Greek Revival structure. 
• Create a gallery to display works of art. 

Standards Alignment

National Core Arts StandardsNational Core Arts Standards

Common Core State StandardsCommon Core State Standards

Recommended Student Materials

Editable Documents: Before sharing these resources with students, you must first save them to your Google account by opening them, and selecting “Make a copy” from the File menu. Check out Sharing Tips or Instructional Benefits when implementing Google Docs and Google Slides with students.

• Slide: Greek Revival Architecture
• Vocabulary: Greek Revival Architecture
• Making Comparisons
• Planner: Greek Revival Architecture

Videos

• Parthenon Virtual Tour
• Lincoln Memorial Virtual Tour
• Ancient Greek Architecture
• Greek Revival Architecture Virtual Tour

Websites

• Greek Column Orders
• American Greek Revival

Teacher Background

Teachers should review facts and characteristics of Greek Revival Architecture and Ancient Greek Architecture. For additional information on this architectural style go to the Loggia website. Another good source is A Digital Archive of American Architecture from the Boston College website. These sites provide good examples of different buildings which use elements of Greek architecture.

Student Prerequisites 

Students should be familiar with the principles of architecture and should have some background knowledge about ancient Greece.

Accessibility Notes

Teachers should modify handouts and offer preferential seating. The Virtual Tour: Greek Revival Architecture offers text, audio, and text-to-speech accessibility features.

Engage

1. Display pictures of homes from slide 2 of the presentation Greek Revival Architecture. Ask students: Which house would you prefer to live in? Agree that all the houses have the same basic amenities of neighborhood conveniences of shopping, schools, jobs, parks, etc. They are just to consider the houses based on their architectural style.

2. Engage the class in a discussion about why they would choose one house over the other. Points they may consider: durability, family friendly, beauty, status or anti-status symbol. Ask students: Does the image of the house evoke certain emotions, desires, or antipathies?

3. Now display different style buildings from slide 3. Ask the class: What takes place in each of these buildings? What message or mood does the architecture suggest for the patrons of these buildings? They may use words like, formal or informal, serious, relaxing, a hang out place, intimidating, off putting, welcoming and so on.

4. Identify for the students which building in the photos is a Greek revival building. Make special note of the features which differentiate the Greek revival building from the other buildings and which descriptive words or phrases the students may have used to talk about this building. Explain that in this lesson we will be considering the legacy of the ancient Greeks who inspired this type of architecture.

5. Pose the question to the class, why would anyone go to the effort and expense to “design” a structure with any particular features? Wouldn’t it be cheaper to build everything the same way? Why does it matter how it looks if it has the right number of bedrooms or doors or windows or offices? What is Architecture? Why does it matter?

6. Encourage the students to consider that architecture matters. Explain that “architecture” is the art and science of designing buildings, structures and public spaces. Good architecture does more than provide shelter from the physical elements. In a well-designed structure, we feel and are supported in our purpose or mission. For example, in a home we need a space that provides a place to relax and rejuvenate and where families can easily gather, communicate and live and work together. While in a bank building, we want to have a sense that our resources are secure, or in a store we want to easily find merchandise that we need or want to buy.

Build

1. Display or distribute the Vocabulary: Greek Revival Architecture. Review the terms with students and reference the vocabulary throughout the lesson.

2. Briefly survey what students may already know about Greek architecture and culture. Examples may include, ancient Greeks were a sophisticated society, some structures still exist today in ruins, our modern Olympic Games originated in ancient Greece, comedy and tragedy masks of ancient Greek, or they may know about the Parthenon. Point out that their responses and reactions to the Greek Revival image earlier in the lesson indicates that they already have an internalized awareness of Greek architecture.

3. Take a virtual tour of the Parthenon and of the Lincoln Memorial. As you “tour,” refer to the vocabulary words and show examples of them. Talk with the students about how the elements of Greek architecture relate to the ancient Greek ideals of order, harmony, balance and beauty. This style of building also has a strong association with classical tradition and democracy. Invite students to suggest ways in which these ideals were represented in the architecture. Students may notice the following:

- Symmetry that creates a sense of balance.

- Repetitive elements that create a sense of order.

- Proportions relating to the golden mean or the Greek letter Phi that create a sense of beauty.

- Remind the class of the earlier discussion about design evoking emotion and present this as a perfect example of these emotions and ideals. Consider the powerful emotions and purposes connected with the Lincoln Memorial.

- On the common five dollar bill: circulation, connection, power, influence, affluence

- The site of many historic events to do with freedom: Martin Luther King’s “I Have a Dream” Speech and Marion Anderson’s performance.

4. Engage the class in a discussion about the architectural elements of each building. Ask students to use the Making Comparisons chart to analyze the similarities and differences between the Parthenon and the Lincoln Memorial. Students can use the photos on slide 7 of or refer back to the virtual tours. Sample student responses might be:

- They both have columns or Doric columns

- They both are much larger than life scale

- The Lincoln Memorial has interior walls and a roof, the Parthenon does not

- The Parthenon is high on a hill, the Lincoln Memorial is not.

- The friezes are decorated differently

- They are both symbolic of hard-won freedom and were built after a brutal war

- They both honor a larger than life personality with a larger than life statue, although the statue from the Parthenon no longer exists

5. Play the video, Ancient Greek Architecture and examine the Greek Column Orders. Point out that there are three orders of Greek columns: Doric, Ionic, Corinthian. Examine the columns with students, noting the similarities and differences between the columns. Discuss the distinct elements of architecture in Ancient Greece with students. 

6. Teach the students about the architectural style in America called the American Greek Revival style. Explain to the class that revival means to take something that has gone out of fashion and bring it back again into prominence. In terms of architecture it means to return to that style of building that was previously predominant and “revive” it for contemporary use. Everything old is new again. This style of architecture was very important in America from about 1818-1850 and was found throughout the country. The American Greek Revival style was easy to adapt and was used in all types of buildings, from government structures to family homes. Emphasize the Lincoln Memorial, designed by Henry Bacon in 1897, as a good example of Greek Revival architecture.

Apply

1. Divide students into pairs or small groups. Tell students they’ll be hunting for examples of Greek Revival architecture in their community, places they’ve traveled, read about, or they can explore the Virtual Tour: Greek Revival Architecture. Suggest that some may find elements of Classical Greek architecture in interior design as well, maybe even their own homes. Display the following elements for students to look for fluted columns, capitals, order, heavy cornice, rectangular transom window over entrance, and/or plain frieze. 

2. Design a Greek Revival style structure. In the same groups, have students select a person or group of people they have studied and create a Greek Revival style structure to honor them. Distribute the Planner: Greek Revival Architecture to students. Review the instructions and expectations before students begin planning. Their designs will evolve from a sketch, technical drawing, to a final visual rendering. 

3. Allow time for students to plan and design their structures. Tell students architects typically use drafting paper for their technical designs. They will reference the “Sketch,” “Technical Drawing,” and "Final Visual Rendering.” 

Reflect 

1. Create a gallery to display the evolution of their designs in a sequence. Once the designs are on display, have students stand by their work. Invite other classes to visit the gallery, having students share the design process and architectural elements used. Teachers should facilitate through the gallery asking students: In what ways did Greek architecture influence their architectural design?

2. Extend the lesson by inviting a local architect to speak to the class or plan a field trip to see local Greek Revival buildings in your community.