Each spring in California, 4th graders are assigned a California Mission research project. I've found this to be the perfect time to work in an architectural drawing lesson.1. I made my own graph paper on 11" x 17" sheets of beige paper, printing a 1/4" grid over all. Make these lines as light as possible so they are easy to cover up.2. I illustrated for students simple line drawings of common mission features. The doors tend to be round, the windows often have blocks at the base, and the rooftops sometimes have beautiful domes with bells inside. I encouraged the students to start in pencil with a ground line and then a main building in the center. Halls or wings to the left and right could then be added. Remind them that the grid lines are there to follow so they should work slowly to trace right over them. When the building is complete, they may add foliage. When complete, the pencil lines are traced with a thin black marker.
3. Students use colored pencils to fill in all the areas. Encourage students to press hard with their pencils as it will make the boldest artwork.
