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The Built Environment Education Program (BEEP) is a program for young students sponsored by The American Institute of Architects. BEEP provides elementary school students with an awareness of the built and natural environments, architecture, urban planning, and sustainability. The built environment consists of all structures that make up a community such as houses, streets, schools and parks. Through BEEP students learn the fundamentals and careful considerations involved with design and construction. The result: cities, towns, and communities built out of recycled trash. Urban buildings considered important and constructed by students include courthouses, museums, police and fire stations, shops, offices, churches and temples, car washes, and a zoo. Using paper, paint, tape, odd bits of recycled materials, and a tremendous amount of uninhibited creativity, these buildings become works of art in themselves.
In Orange County, California this program has engaged hundreds of children in grades 2-5. It encourages a sense of importance and confidence in students as they offer their own solutions to urban and design issues. This is extremely important in school districts such as Santa Ana, where students have few opportunities to interact with professionals.
This last spring at Jefferson Elementary School in Santa Ana, 24 volunteer architects worked side by side with 14 teachers and 450 students, grades 2-5. The students gained an understanding of urban communities -the building components and their relationship. Through building their community, they learned about architecture and design- geometry, scale, construction, and ornamentation. Most importantly, they had fun and developed the pride of accomplishment- both of which are essential to learning.
[Click on a thumbnail for a larger image.]
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