Skip to content Skip to footer
TPSP logo

Looking at the Past with Eyes on the Future

Grade 7, Social Studies

Description of Unit

In this task, seventh-grade students will find and photograph a local historic building. They will research the historical significance of the building and how it could be modernized for community use. Students will use a rendering program (e.g., SketchUp) to create a 3D rendering of the building from their photograph and include measurements to make sure it is to scale. The students will then use drawing software (e.g., ArtRage, MyPaint, Krita) to draw a modernized version of the building. The new drawing should include a visualization of what will occupy the building, improvements to modernize the building for use, and possible design elements.

For the final piece of this project, the students will make a video presentation proposal of how to renovate, modernize, and utilize an unused historic building. This proposal can be submitted to the local chamber of commerce or city development organization.

This guide links the Looking in the Past with Eyes on the Future unit to the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) for seventh graders. Looking in the Past with Eyes on the Future is a fine arts and social studies unit that allows students to study old historic buildings and use technology to envision future uses for the structures. The following document includes the applicable TEKS and the details of the Looking in the Past with Eyes on the Future unit. The final section of this document presents the applicable Texas College and Career Readiness Standards adopted by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) on January 24, 2008.

Phase I. Learning Experiences

  1. Students will research the following terms and concepts to build their background knowledge: repurpose, historic, economic development, revitalization, scale, elements of art, principles of design, rendering, and 3D CAD (three-dimensional computer-aided design). After learning about this vocabulary, they will hold a class discussion about the terms and concepts in relation to repurposing historic buildings for economic development (i.e., using old buildings for new businesses).

    The following questions can help drive the discussion:

    • Are there any old buildings in the community that are interesting but abandoned?
    • What makes the old buildings interesting?
    • Why is it important to renovate historic structures for use in current economic development rather than tearing them down and building new structures?
    • What does it mean to repurpose a historic building?
    • What are some important things to consider when repurposing a historic structure?
    • How can a historic structure be important to a community?
    • What buildings are important in your community?
    • If you were to discuss a historic building with your grandparents or others who have lived here for a long time, what memories would they have of the property? (This is a question that should be taken home for discussion.)
    • What ethical issues would someone encounter if he or she was trying to change this building?
    • How will changing this building impact the community? For example, can a historic building be enlarged for a new use without destroying its historic character?
    • Why should ethics be a concern for architects?
    • What is the difference between a building that is “of its time” and a building that is “of its place”?
    • Should historical preservation efforts be concerned with ethical issues?

    The teacher may wish to use one of the following strategies during the discussion:

    • Philosophical Chairs Debate: Students take a position based on their research and defend this position in a discussion.
    • Pinwheel Discussion: Students are divided into groups and each group takes a point of view to discuss.
    • Affinity Mapping: Students take the broad question and generate responses by writing ideas on sticky notes around the room. The notes are then grouped and put into categories. Students discuss how the categories are related.
  2. Students will search for examples of historic buildings that have been repurposed for modern use in Texas. Students will speculate why these historic buildings were chosen for renovation and use. They should discuss what the residents of the communities where these repurposed buildings are located might think about the revitalization. There are many available examples online. Students may also consult the provided resources:
  3. As a class, students will come up with several ideas for businesses that would benefit the community. They should consider what services/goods might be important for different groups (e.g., senior citizens vs. teenagers). The students will come up with alternative solutions and supporting arguments for each choice.
  4. The teacher will introduce the students to 3D CAD (three-dimensional computer-aided design) using SketchUp or an alternative 3D modeling program. The class will discuss how 3D CAD programs are used by home designers, architects, and interior designers. Students should view the helpful learning videos provided by SketchUp (http://www.sketchup.com/learn/videos/58) and practice the skills demonstrated in the videos.

    Teacher Note: SketchUp has a free, limited 3D CAD version that is available online (https://www.sketchup.com/). However, the Texas Computer Education Association (TCEA) also provides free licenses of SketchUp Pro to all K–12 public school educators and students for school owned computers (http://www.tcea.org/pd/sketchup/).

  5. The teacher will introduce students to digital drawing software that will be used to draw the proposed renovation to the building. There are many available options for drawing software, some of which require a license (e.g., ArtRage: https://www.artrage.com/), and some of which are free (e.g. MyPaint: https://github.com/mypaint/mypaint/releases; or Krita: https://krita.org/en/). Students should view the helpful learning videos provided by ArtRage (https://www.artrage.com/tutorials/) and practice the skills demonstrated in the videos.

Phase II. Independent Research

A. Research process

  1. Selecting a topic. Each student will each choose an abandoned historic building in their community (or the surrounding county) to research. He or she will need to have a picture of the structure. If possible, the student should take his or her own pictures of the structure. If it is not possible, the student will need to use pictures found on the Internet or pictures the teacher provides.
  2. Asking guiding questions. To understand the historical importance of the chosen building and possible impact of the suggested economic development, each student should think of three to five guiding questions to explore. Examples of guiding questions include the following:
    • What is the historical significance of the chosen building?
    • What purpose did this building serve in the community during its time period?
    • What factors contributed to the building not being demolished after it was abandoned?
    • What could be the economic impact of revitalizing the building for the current community?
    • Why should this building be chosen for revitalization?
    While these examples are general, the student’s questions should be specific to the chosen topic. Each student should think of guiding questions about the specific historic building and the subsequent revitalization and economic impact. The student should also develop hypotheses or some possible answers to the questions.
  3. Designing a research proposal. The student should include numerous components in the research proposal, including the following:
    • The historic building that he or she will research and photograph
    • Guiding questions that he or she will investigate
    • Primary and secondary resources that he or she will consult
    • Initial thoughts concerning possible new uses for the historic building

    The student should consider the following questions as they identify resources:

    • What libraries, local people, community groups, research centers, archival institutions, museums, or organizations will have information on the historic building?
    • What are some key words, dates, or people related to the building?
    • What types of primary sources might exist?
    • Who might you interview to gather information?
    • What letters, diaries, or other first person narratives are available pertaining to the historic building?
    • What is the history of the building and what notable events in Texas history are related to this building?
  4. Conducting the research. After the teacher has approved the proposal, each student will begin using the identified resources and other sources he or she may encounter. During this stage, the student will need to keep a log, note cards, or a resource process sheet (available in the Forms section) of all the sources he or she uses and what he or she learned from each one.

B. The product

  1. The student will use SketchUp or another 3D CAD program to recreate a photograph of a historic building as a 3D rendering. He or she will pay special attention to the elements of art and principles of design. The teacher can require the project include just the exterior of the building, or both the exterior and interior views. Upon completion of the rendering, the students will gather in groups of three or four. One at a time, each student will share the original photos and the 3D rendering that he or she has created with the small group. After each student has shared, the group will brainstorm possible business use ideas for each building. It is important at this time to remind the students that the business will need to be sustained by the local community. For example, a community may not be able to sustain four pizza shops or even one skateboard shop. This is completely dependent on the community. It is not the goal of the teacher to stifle any creativity, but rather to guide the students to think of realistic alternatives. Students can be required to recreate the 3D CAD renderings to scale.
  2. The student will use ArtRage, MyPaint, Krita, or an alternative drawing software program to create a drawing of the historic building based on a photograph. The new drawing should include a visualization of what will occupy the building, improvements to modernize the building for use, and possible design elements. The teacher can decide whether students should create a simple drawing showing improvements to the outside of the structure, or whether the drawing should be very detailed and include the inside renovations.
  3. Based on feedback from the class, each student will develop a proposal for community leadership (e.g., local chamber of commerce, city development organization). This proposal will include an outline of how the building will go from historic-but-abandoned to historic-and-economically viable.
  4. The student will create a video that showcases his or her 3D rendering, digital remodel drawing, and proposal. This video could be submitted to community leadership for their consideration.

C. Communication

The student will present his or her findings to the class and lead a class discussion about the feasibility of using the historic building for new economic development. The student will create a video that showcases his or her 3D rendering, digital remodel drawing, and proposal. This video could be submitted to community leadership for their consideration. He or she will write a onepage summary of the project, which will include the community’s reaction to the proposal.

D. A completed project consists of:

  1. The research proposal
  2. Guiding questions to drive research
  3. A research log, note cards, or resource process sheet
  4. A 3D CAD rendering of a local historic building
  5. A digital drawing of the proposed renovations
  6. An outline describing and showcasing the idea from inception to completion
  7. A video presentation
  8. A written review of the proposal and resulting community response
  9. A Works Cited page
Back to top.