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The White House

Official Residences

Students will explore the history of official residences such as the White House, the National Palace, 10 Downing Street, The Lodge, and others and imagine additions or modifications they'd like to see.

Lesson Plan

Supplies Needed

Gather all the supplies needed to bring your craft ideas to life! From paints and markers to glue and scissors, our crafts section has everything to spark creativity and make every project truly special.

  • Craft Materials
  • Paper
  • Recycled Cardboard Box
  • Toothpick(s)

Steps

  • Step 1

    Ask students to learn about the official residences in various countries. For example, in the United States it's the White House, in Australia it's The Lodge, in Mexico it's the National Palace, etc. Have them look at images of these places and find out about modifications and renovations that have occurred. For example, the first prime minister who lived in The Lodge, Joseph Lyons, had 12 children and had to add makeshift bedrooms for them. These rooms were removed by a subsequent prime minister. And Theodore Roosevelt modernized the White House for the 20th century. 

  • Step 2

    Ask students to think about new and imaginative features they'd like to see in these residences. Perhaps it's a helipad on the roof of the National Palace, a frozen yogurt machine on the South Lawn of the White House, or anything else. Then have them create a 3D replica of the chosen structure. They can use a recycled box as the base and decorate it with paint, markers, or a combination. They can use craft items or Model Magic to create some of the features. 

  • Step 3

    When their art is complete, have them present it to the class and discuss the modifications they depicted and why they chose to make them.

Standards

SS: Individual Development and Identity: Describe factors important to the development of personal identity and the context of identity within families, peer or affinity groups, schools, communities, and nationalities. 

SS: Individuals, Groups, and Institutions: Examine various institutions that affect one’s life and influence people’s thinking and how they advocate for ideas they believe in. 

Adaptations

The Blue House in South Korea was the official residence of the country's leaders for about 600 years until 2022, when the president decided to move to a different building. The Blue House is now open to the public. Have students learn about this building that was built in traditional Korean-style architecture. For example, each of the approximately 150,000 blue tiles was baked individually to make them strong enough to last for hundreds of years.

Ask students to write about what they would do if they led their country. What issues would they focus on? Who would they choose for their cabinet? How would they decorate their official residence to reflect their personalities?