Lesson plan
Skyscraper
A skyscraper is a very tall building or otherwise permanently habitable structure, typically defined as reaching a minimum height of either or in height; however, there remains no universally accepted definition of a skyscraper, other than being a high-rise. Skyscrapers can host a variety of spaces, typically including office, commercial, hotel, and residential space. Skyscrapers are a common feature in the downtown or central business districts (CBD) of major cities, especially in the Americas, Asia, and Australia, often due to a high demand for space and limited availability of land. The majority of skyscrapers are designed with a steel frame and shear walls that support curtain walls. These curtain walls either bear on the framework below or are suspended from the framework above, rather than resting on load-bearing walls of conventional construction. Some early skyscrapers have a steel frame that enables the construction of load-bearing walls taller than those made of reinforced concrete. Modern skyscraper walls are not load-bearing, and are characterized by large surface areas of windows made possible by steel frames and curtain walls. However, skyscrapers can have curtain walls that mimic conventional walls with a small surface area of windows.…
Article summary
A skyscraper is a very tall building or otherwise permanently habitable structure, typically defined as reaching a minimum height of either or in height; however, there remains no universally accepted definition of a skyscraper, other than being a high-rise. Skyscrapers can host a variety of spaces, typically including office, commercial, hotel, and residential space. Skyscrapers are a common feature in the downtown or central business districts (CBD) of major cities, especially in the Americas, Asia, and Australia, often due to a high demand for space and limited availability of land. The majority of skyscrapers are designed with a steel frame and shear walls that support curtain walls. These curtain walls either bear on the framework below or are suspended from the framework above, rather than resting on load-bearing walls of conventional construction. Some early skyscrapers have a steel frame that enables the construction of load-bearing walls taller than those made of reinforced concrete. Modern skyscraper walls are not load-bearing, and are characterized by large surface areas of windows made possible by steel frames and curtain walls. However, skyscrapers can have curtain walls that mimic conventional walls with a small surface area of windows.…
Key claims
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Discussion questions
- Summarise the article in your own words. Which single claim would you verify first, and why?
- Which claim in this article is most likely to be revised as the sources update? How would you check its current status?
- If two sources disagreed about one of these facts, what would you need in order to trust one over the other?
Bibliography
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Key claims and bibliography are generated from the same tracked claims and sources as the article page.