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Victorian Dollhouse
A model of life in the Gilded Age

 

OBJECTIVE | INTRODUCTION | MATERIALS | PROCEDURE
ASSESSMENT | FOLLOW-UP | LEARNING STANDARDS | INTERDISCIPLINARY CONNECTIONS

  

Adapted from lesson plan by Amy Weiss, P.S. 144Q, who adapted lesson from Picture the Past by Joan Chambers and Molly Hood

OBJECTIVE
To research the Victorian/Gilded Age, including clothing, architecture, furniture, toys and household appliances (group project). Use research to create a Victorian dollhouse.

INTRODUCTION
 Tiffany opened an interior design business and decorated the homes of many wealthy and influential people of his time. The clothing and home furnishings of this time period are very interesting and beautiful. The Industrial Revolution and new inventions drastically changed life at home for those that could afford them.

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MATERIALS
Books and pictures on the Victorian Era
Large cardboard or heavy weight oaktag 22" x 28"
Wall paper books, construction paper, preprinted textured paper, fabric, Victorian greeting cards, clip art books, dollies, lace scraps, etc.
Victorian Clip Art books/sheets
Glue, markers, crayons and scissors
Template for house: To a printable dollhouse template

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PROCEDURE
 For research section of activity:
Read passages (fiction or nonfiction) and share pictures that depict life during this era. Selections should give the children an understanding of life in a Victorian home.

Distribute a list of household inventions and discuss its impact on daily life.

Divide children into cooperative groups and begin research on what life might have been like and what homes may have looked like.

Final research should be typed so that it is ready to be mounted on final artwork.

For dollhouse building activity:
Measure, cut and divide the cardboard according to the house template (see attached).

Divide the middle section of the house template into 2 or 3 levels. Glue down different strips of wallpaper or colored paper for each level. Decorate each level with furniture made by drawing on paper, or from clip art sources. Use the information that the class learned from their research to help lay out the house. For example, where is the kitchen likely to be? Where would bedrooms belonging to different members of the house be?

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ASSESSMENT
 What did the class learn from their research into Victorian life? Was the class able to reproduce dollhouses using the readings and pictures that they looked at? Where were there difficulties? Where were there successes?

FOLLOW-UP
 Presentation and/or exhibition of the class's dollhouses
Create a contemporary dollhouse, what do homes look like now?

LEARNING STANDARDS
Information about state and national Learning Standards is available at http://www.topicseducation.com/links.htm. Please note: selecting this link will open a new browser window on your computer.

INTERDISCIPLINARY CONNECTIONS
 Art
Critical Thinking
Literacy
Social Studies

 
 
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