Maya Lin
Books - Five Points Elementary
Stone, Amy. Maya Lin.
Presents the life of the architect-sculptor who designed the Vietnam War Memorial.
Books - Local Public Libraries
Italia, Bob. Maya Lin: Honoring Our Forgotten Heroes. (Centerville Public Library)
Presents the life of the young architect-scupltor who designed the controversial memorial honoring United States soldiers who served in the Vietnam War.
Ling, Bettna. Maya Lin. (Centerville Public Library)
Describes the life and work of the Chinese-American architect who designed the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C., and the Civil Rights Memorial in Montgomery, Alabama.
Malone, Mary. Maya Lin: Architect & Artist. (Centerville Public Library).
Part of a series which describes the lives and achievements of influential 20th-century American personalities. Appealing biographies of famous men and women written for teens.
Stone, Amy. Maya Lin. Rain Tree, 2003. (Miamisburg Public Library)
Presents the life of the architect-sculptor who designed the Vietnam War Memorial.
Video
Maya Lin: A Strong Clear Vision (Centerville Public Library)
This Academy Award winner reveals the origins of the Vietnam veterans Memorial and tells the inspiring story of it creator.
The Wall. (Warren County Media Center)
Reading Rainbow series, includes The Wall by Eve Bunting, story about a boy and his father who visit the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, and an interview with Maya Lin, the architect who designed it. Also includes Mount Rushmore and commemorative mural of Louis Armstrong.
Websites
Art:21.Maya Lin, Biography, Documentary Film
http://www.pbs.org/art21/artists/lin/index.html
PBS website, art: 21 includes biographical information about several artists including Maya Lin, as well as some of her works and video interviews.
Maya Lin – Great Buildings.
http://www.greatbuildings.com/architects/Maya_Lin.html
Information about great buildings and the architects who designed them.
Maya Lin - Harcourt Biographies
http://www.harcourtschool.com/activity/art_everywhere/bios/lin/
Maya Lin Biography – Academy of Achievement
http://www.achievement.org/autodoc/page/lin0bio-1
Biographical information about Maya Lin, as well as interviews and photo gallery.
SPLCenter.org: Maya Lin, Memorial Designer.
http://www.splcenter.org/crm/lin.jsp
Link to the Civil Rights Memorial, includes information about Maya Lin, the architect who designed it. Links under Teaching Tolerance and Tolerance.org are useful for character/diversity education.
Vietnam Memorial
Includes information about the Wall, which Maya Lin designed.
Activities
1) Bookmark – Make a bookmark with picture and information about Maya Lin.. Idea from LibraryTalk “Bookmarks as a Teaching Tool” May/June2002, p.11.
2) Memorials/Landmarks – After viewing the movie “The Wall”, discuss the different types of memorials that were shown. Brainstorm examples of other memorials, use the Great Buildings website to learn more about them and the architects who designed them. For grades 9-12, use Art: 21 Teacher Lesson Plan on Honoring Heroes and History at http://www.pbs.org/art21/education/ritual/lesson2.html.
3) Civil Rights Memorial - Use the SPLCenter -Civil Rights Memorial Center website at http://www.splcenter.org/crm/memorial.jsp . Lauch The Memorial to view a series of photos focusing on the Memorial's history and artistry. Talk about Maya Lin who designed the Civil Rights Memorial. Then view the Civil Rights Memorial Online to see the timeline. Have students make their own timeline.
4) Memorial Day Internet Treasure Hunt http://www.education-world.com/a_lesson/lesson119.shtml
Includes the question “Who designed the Vietnam Veteran’s Memorial”.
5)Design a building – Read quotes by creator Maya Lin, regarding the thought process that went into designing the Vietnam Veterans Memorial http://www.greatbuildings.com/buildings/Vietnam_Veterans_Memorial.html and then have students design their own . For young students, use edible materials such as graham crackers or sugar wafers. For older students, collaborate with the Art Teacher. Gather information about other buildings and architectural design. Make a drawing or model. Adapted from “How a House is Built” Bookbag Aug/Sep/Oct 1996, p. 30.
6) Other Walls - After reading and learning about the Vietnam Veteran’s Memorial Wall, discuss other walls. Compare and contrast these different walls: What was the purpose of these walls? How long or tall were they? When were they built? Learn about these other walls:
Great Wall of China http://www.mrdowling.com/613-greatwall.html,
Berlin Wall http://www.dailysoft.com/berlinwall/index.html .
Hadrian’s Wall http://museums.ncl.ac.uk/wallnet/wall/index.htm .