Middle School
Do you want to be an architect?
Are you interested in creating and building? Do you like to draw? Do you like to solve problems? If you answered yes to any of those questions, you should explore what architecture has to offer. We put together some information, activities and inspiration to help you along your journey.
Let’s get started!
Webinar
Michael Allen, CEO and Architect for MOA Architecture, Inc., hosted a webinar and Q&A for students ages 9 - 12 who might be interested in the architecture field. Learn more about what an architect is, how to become an architect, and how to design a treehouse in this webinar.
Adventure Book
Alone in the Forest, by CEO and architect Michael Allen and illustrated by Harun Bol, is the debut of an adventurous book series inspiring youth ages 9 - 12 who are interested in architecture. This dynamic book follows the main character Neal through ups and downs of designing and building a creative project. All readers will be curiously inspired to become skilled at design and problem solving. Be on the lookout for more of Neal’s exciting adventures and design projects to come!
Design Activities
The AIA New York Center for Architecture assembled a long list of free, online design activities. These short, easy to follow design projects use simple materials to get kids exploring building design, New York City history, landscape design, interior design, game design, skyscrapers and more. Below are just a few of these activities.
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Skyscraper Structures
Skyscrapers are incredible structures! Discover the forces at work by building your own structural frame using toothpicks, marshmallows, and spaghetti.
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Design a Park
Landscape architects design and create outdoor spaces like parks, gardens, and plazas. Have you ever wanted to plan a new park? Grab a piece of paper and use these symbols to make a map, or plan, of your design!
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Drawing Activity: Looking Outside My Window
Windows are the eyes of a building, letting people inside see the world outside. What do you see from your window? What would you like to see?
More resources
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The Association for Career and Technical Education (ACTE) has developed a podcast and webinar series dedicated to middle school career exploration. You will hear from a variety of practitioners diligently working in this space of middle school career exploration, as they share their thoughts and ideas on why and how exploring careers in middle school is important to the development of adolescents.
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Do normal jobs like scooping ice cream, working a register, or lifeguarding have any kind of impact on your college applications?
They very well might.
In this webinar, Lisa Noble, an expert in career planning for young adults, gives you a sense of how you can make the most of any work opportunity, no matter how basic. If you want to learn how to do outreach, keep an eye out for what’s sparking your interest, find collaborators, or launch personal projects: this is for you.