Students will view clips from the film concerning Wright's architectural philosophy and his views of architecture's role in a democratic society. Students will view examples of Wright's architecture on the PBS Web site and explain how these samples exemplify Wright's architectural philosophy. Students will gather more information and answer questions about the Usonian houses. Students will read two quotes from Tocqueville's Democracy in America, explain how Wright would have reacted, and describe how they personally react to these quotes. Students will write articles pretending that they are architectural critics in their own communities and incorporating a discussion of architecture, art, and democracy, using ideas they have developed from previous parts of the lesson.
Procedures Ask students to discuss the types of architecture in their community.
Have them name their favorite buildings and explain why these are their favorites. Discuss regulations and restrictions on architecture and construction in your community or in general. Give students examples of regulations that might be imposed on building design and ask their opinions on these regulations. Some examples of guidelines include allowing homes to be painted only certain colors, allowing only certain types of house plans to be used, or permitting only certain types of landscaping in front of houses. Tell the class that they'll be viewing some clips from a documentary that describes the accomplishments and philosophies of the architect Frank Lloyd Wright.