Our class time will include a slide show of ancient structures, complete with a description of the details of their construction and architecture. We will discuss how the philosophy of the culture influenced the construction styles. Each week, students will fill in an outline of the basic facts of the architecture being studied. We will also look at examples of these architectural principles still in use today.

Learners will be presented with a building challenge for each class to complete on their own, outside of class. Learners may use ANY version or form of Minecraft that they wish to complete their construction projects (but NOT a flat world). Learners will be given a rubric with the important architectural and historical elements to include in their build. They will post photos of their completed build to the classroom message board.

Learners will also be instructed in the process of peer review. Since so much of our world today is based on co-operative team projects, learning and utilizing these types of skills now will have a life-long benefit.

Week One: The Column and The Rule
The contributions of Ancient Greek to the field of architecture are undeniable. Though Greece did not invent the column or its use in construction, they certainly elevated its use to an art form which graces the front of public and government buildings throughout western civilizations.We will learn how Greece’s advancements in mathematics affected their architecture and we will study the most famous of Grecian buildings, the Parthenon. 

Week Two: The Problem of Water
Every city needs a reliable source of fresh water and Rome solved this problem for their cities and towns in the most impressive way imaginable. Their extensive system of aqueducts relied on precision engineering to utilize gravity alone to bring water where it was needed for public and private use in homes, baths, sewers, and fountains as well as for industrial use in mines, mills, and agriculture. 

Week Three:  Making a Way
The expression “all roads lead to Rome” did not come about by accident. While many cultures and civilizations built and maintained Rome, the Romans took road building to the next level! Learn not only how these roads were built to last (there are sections still being used today), but also how the Roman devotion to a straight line meant that even mountains, rivers, and valleys had to yield to the will of mighty Rome!

Week Four: Modern Conveniences
With an abundance of building material, labor, and water, Rome could afford to indulge in the luxuries of ornate fountains, public baths, and, state of the art sewage systems.

Week Five: Entertainment
Emblematic of Rome at the height of its Empire, the Colosseum was a wonder not only of architecture, but of engineering as well. From retractable awnings for shade, to a thought out system for moving crowds in and out, to an enormous underground complex for moving animals, scenery pieces, and gladiators to the arena floor, the Colosseum displayed the best of Roman ingenuity along with arguably the worst of Roman ethics. 

Week Six: Tons of Concrete
We skip ahead in time a bit to study the amazing technological advancement the Romans achieved with their hydraulic-setting cement. We learn how Roman concrete was made, what it was, most likely, made from, and how Rome used it to build entire cities, practically overnight, seemingly from nothing. We will study the city of Caesarea as an example of what Rome did with this new material.

Week Seven: Rising Above the Rest 
While Rome didn’t invent the arch or dome, their prolific use of the arch, and the monumental achievements in building with the dome made Roman structures a marvel both then and now. The Pantheon still boasts the world’s largest unreinforced concrete dome. A few bridges built by Rome are still in use, carrying modern traffic, today. (The Pantheon is a two week build). 

Week Eight: Roman Mythology
We will explore a few Roman beliefs about the origins and founding of Rome, a few Roman festivals, and some of the Roman pantheon. While the interior of the Pantheon building no longer has any of its original statuary or paintings, we will discuss what might have been inside based on pre-Christian Roman beliefs. 

Week Nine:  The Forum
We conclude our study of Rome with a look at the beating heart of the Roman Empire….the Forum. We’ll talk about the history of the Forum as first an open aired meeting site for the Republic, its development through the centuries, and why its one of the most visited tourist sites in the world. During class time, we will be researching examples of Neo-Classical Architecture. I'd like each learner to do some independent research of buildings in their general area (state or country). I will be directing learners to wikipedia or wikimedia commons to complete this research.