Welcome to Our Introduction to Architecture Homeschool Course

Introduction to Architecture

Week 2: The Pyramids

One of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World—and the only one still standing today—is the Great Pyramid of Giza. Built circa 2500 BC, the Great Pyramid is the largest pyramid that has ever been constructed. This structure was created to serve as a tomb for Pharaoh Khufu. The two smaller ones standing beside it were built by Khufu’s son, Khafre, and his grandson, Menkaure.

In the photo below, Khufu’s pyramid is on the far right, Khafre’s is in the middle, and Menkaure’s is on the left. The three smaller structures in the foreground are the Pyramids of Queens. Though it appears that Khafre’s pyramid is the tallest, it was simply constructed on a higher plateau. The diagram on page two shows the layout of the three pyramids, along with the Sphinx. The names you see—Cheops, Chephren, and Mykerinos—are the names attributed to them by the Greeks.

ACTIVITIES: 

1. Watch “Deconstructing History: The Great Pyramid”: https://www.youtube.com/watch‌?v=2zU0Vv-GaqM.
2. On your world map from last week, locate and mark Giza.

Pyramids were not new to Egyptian culture. Khufu’s father, Snefru (or Sneferu), built a few during his reign, but none of them had the precision and stability of Khufu’s. He first built a step type of pyramid in Maidum that stood 306 feet tall. After moving to Dahshur, he had another constructed, which later became known as the “Bent Pyramid.” During construction, it was determined the slope was too steep, so the angle was changed. It rose to a final height of 344 feet.

SchoolhouseTeachers.com note: Parents should closely monitor children’s use of YouTube and Wikipedia if you navigate away from the videos and articles cited in these lessons. We also recommend viewing the videos on a full screen setting in order to minimize your students’ exposure to potentially offensive ads.