Sheldon High School students in Eugene were given the opportunity to practice the constructive geometry of medieval architecture planning over two weeks in October 2023, thanks to an Advocacy Seed Grant from the International Center of Medieval Art (ICMA). The Department of the History of Art and Architecture's Maile Hutterer collaborated with Eugene School District 4J (4J) teachers and staff to bring a one-of-a-kind active learning activity to three classes of Advanced Placement (AP) World History. The activity was integrated into the culminating reflective project for the classes, acting as one of the unit's touchstone lessons. Hutterer adapted a college-level course for the students by dividing the class into two parts taught on consecutive Mondays. In the first week, Hutterer introduced the students to a crash course in art history, giving an overview of the discipline and the Gothic cathedral. The class then practiced constructive geometry on graph paper with rulers, compasses, and protractors.

At the second meeting, students continued to build on their learning from the previous week by interpreting the small-scale, paper geometry and expanding it to outdoor physical space. The class graduated from paper and protractors to string, sidewalk chalk, painter's tape, and speed squares in the temperate fall outdoors. Each class split its student body into 3 groups of students, numbering anywhere from seven to ten students. The small groups allowed for greater participation and engagement as everyone could take turns with the provided tools and materials. 

Students were recruited from the Math department to assess the students' plans with the most precise plan winning a sweet reward, a small candy prize. Hutterer found great success with the adaptation of this college-level course for the younger high school demographic and found students especially animated by the friendly, low-stakes competition in the second week.  Without the support of the Advocacy Seed Grant provided by the ICMA, Hutterer and Sheldon would not have had the opportunity to provide this impactful experiential education experience. The ICMA seeks to promote and support the study, understanding, and preservation of visual and material cultures in every corner of the medieval world through the use of scholarship and sponsorships. Hutterer is excited to repeat the course in the fall.