Designed to make a visit to Washington, D.C. a successful learning experience for students by helping them understand the evolution of the city into what it is today, this teacher's guide presents themes and activities to accommodate many teaching and learning styles. Three sections of activities explore how the built environment symbolizes important values and how people interact with the built environment: (1) activities to do before a visit to Washington, DC; (2) activities to complete both at the National Building Museum exhibit and in the city; and (3) activities to use after a visit to Washington, D.C. Even teachers unable to visit Washington, D.C. can utilize the themes and activities and adjust them for use in the students' hometown. Some of the underlying themes include the built environment, democratic ideals, cities, conflict, compromise, and change. A matrix summarizes the activities in the guide and indicates the general skills required of each activity. A resource section provides an outline of the exhibit on the symbol and city of Washington, D.C. at the National Building Museum, a glossary of 32 architecture terms, and a list of 9 books and 4 videos for further study. (Author/CK)