World Culture Activity Video: United Arab Emirates

Be inspired by the tallest building in the world and see how high you can build!

Activity best for children age 3 and up

At the San Diego Children’s Discovery Museum we love learning about new cultures from around the world and today we are going to explore the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The UAE is a country made up of seven states and we are going to learn about Dubai, the state that is known for its unique architecture. Dubai is located on the southeast coast of the Persian Gulf. It is famous for having the tallest  building in the world, the Burj Khalifa. It has 163 floors! Dubai is also home to the tallest hotel in the world named the Burj Al-Arab, which was built on its own artificial island on the coastline.  It is designed to resemble a sail on a traditional wooden boat called a dhow. Designing and building these super tall buildings is what architects and engineers do. Today you get to be an architect and an engineer and build your own super tall towers at home. Be inspired by the tallest building in the world and see how high you can build!

Materials You’ll Need:

Any kind of building blocks, legos, or recycled materials

Paper and pen

Directions

STEP 1
An architect first draws out plans or blueprints of what the building should look like. You can do this on your paper. What would you like your building to look like?

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STEP 2
Use your blocks or legos or recycled materials to start building. Remember to add things like windows, doorways, maybe even a sail.

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STEP 3
Stand back and look at your building. How did it turn out? Is it super tall? What designs did you add to it? Arches, spires, windows?

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