NE Valley Times

The Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation is launching an online educational tool this week named the Frank Lloyd Wright Virtual Classroom. This resource is aimed at K-12 students and offers complimentary educational activities over six weeks. The platform is set up by the foundation's education department to support online learning and virtual engagement for families.

Incorporating lessons inspired by Frank Lloyd Wright's renowned principles of organic architecture and solutions-based design, the virtual classroom offers STEAM-focused activities. Students will engage in various hands-on tasks to sharpen their critical and creative thinking skills. Each week of the six-week series presents a new lesson with a corresponding video, slowly building up to a comprehensive project where students create an art piece reminiscent of Wright’s stained glass designs.

Christopher Jason, education manager at the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation, emphasized the importance of such resources during these challenging times. He stated, “This is an unprecedented time and with all of the unknowns, new routines and families in need of engaging activities, this was a way for the Foundation to provide a few resources to families around the world.” Jason also highlighted the ongoing mission of the foundation to educate future generations through the works and ideas of Frank Lloyd Wright, especially within STEAM education programs.

Parents and families can engage with the lessons either as standalone activities for the student or as family projects. The Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation has collaborated with the Paradise Valley School District since 2012 to develop test-piloted curriculum for K-12 students, drawing from those experiences and programming for the virtual classroom.

Curriculum producer and support teacher at PVUSD, Michael Linn, expressed confidence in the program's ability to engage students in their new at-home learning environments. He remarked, “For the last eight years, we have focused on how to bring Frank Lloyd Wright design and architecture to students in their classrooms. Since living rooms and kitchens have now become the new classroom, we are confident that your child will enjoy exploring outside in the real world around them."

The Frank Lloyd Wright Virtual Classroom is set to debut on Wednesday, April 15. Lessons cover topics such as "How like Wright are You," "Create a Symmetrical Pattern," "Load-Bearing Shapes," "Turn Two Circles into a Square," and "The Impact of Color."

The foundation aims to challenge young minds worldwide to become critical thinkers and problem solvers. With education programs made freely available, the foundation seeks to engage families globally, encouraging support to continue providing these resources.