Middle School Activities
Welcome to Middle School Design Club! HCM architects, designers, and planners have all listed their favorite resources, books, and activities below. Enjoy!
Interested in staying in touch for future student opportunities? Let us know here.
Baltimore City Walking Tour
Walking tours of 1000s of cities!
Angkor What? Angkor Wat!
Learn about Angkor Wat and its place in Cambodian and Southeast Asian history.
SketchUp For Beginners
Create 3D objects and buildings with the SketchUp software.
Building Safety
Activities to teach you all about building safety that you might not even see!
Skyscrapers and City Designs
Learn about New York City’s history and designing towers.
Walking Tour: Historic Houses in Uptown Charlotte
A GPS map for a self guided tour!
Uptown Charlotte Architectural Walking Tour
Download this Map with photos for a self guided tour!
GPS My City
Walking tours of 1000s of cities made for your smart phone.
Structure
Learn about what architect consider when making a building stand tall!
Walls
Do you know all that goes into building a wall?
Design your own city
Printable activity to learn about the elements that make up a city.
The Basics of Interior Design
Learn more about this profession!
Make A Mood Board
Learn how interior designers use mood boards, and design your own! If you could design a space, what would it feel like?
Kids Think Design
Kids Think Design covers a wide range of design fields and offers information, projects and a place to showcase your work.
14 Interior Design Skills
Try out these 14 challenges to sharpen your skills!
SketchUp For Beginners
Create simple three-dimensional objects and buildings.
Recreate Your Space with the Magicplan
Use a 2D/3D floor plan app to redesign and recreate your spaces!
Design for Extreme Environments
Find ways to keep safe in extreme environments.
Discovering Light
Learn how Frank Lloyd Wright became a mastermind with light by using a flashlight around your home in this activity.
The Nature of Abstract Art
Observe nature and create an abstract art piece.
Create A Plan
Learn how to draw a plan for your dream home.
Drawing Sections
Learn how section drawings fall into the design process.
Abstracting Wright
Find the geometry in your space and create an abstraction.
Safe Building Code
Dig into what design elements help make buildings safe!
Check Out These Books!
13 Architects Kids Should Know by Florian Heine
13 Buildings Kids Should Know by Annette Roeder
Architect Academy by Steve Martin
Sunrise To High-Rise: A Wallbook Of Architecture Through The Ages by Lucy Dalzell
The Future Architect’s Handbook by Barbara Beck
Prairie Boy: Frank Lloyd Wright Turns The Heartland Into A Home by Barb Rosenstock
Stephen Biesty’s Incredible Cross-Sections by Steven Bietsy
Dream Builder: The Story Of Architect Philip Freelon by Kelly Starling Lyons
Castle by David MacCaulay
Built To Last by David MacCaulay
Green Homes (Young Architect) by Saranne Taylor (Author), Moreno Chiacchiera (Illustrator), Michelle Todd (Illustrator)
Architecture According To Pigeons by Speck Lee Tailfeather
The Story Of Buildings: From The Pyramids To The Sydney Opera House And Beyond by Patrick Dillon (Author), Stephen Biesty (Illustrator)
Skyscrapers!: Super Structures To Design & Build by Carol A. Johnman
The Aspiring Architect: An Activity Book For Kids by Travis Kelly Wilson
Steve Caney’s Ultimate Building Book by Steven Caney
From Mud Huts To Skyscrapers by Christine Paxmann
Built To Last by David Macaulay
The Phantom Tollbooth by Norman Juster
Explore More Design Club Resources!
