Ieoh Ming (I. M.) Pei, born in Canton, China, came to the United States in 1935 to study architecture, first at the University of Pennsylvania, then at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and at Harvard University's Graduate School of Design. Today, Pei's reputation and architectural contributions are renowned worldwide. He has designed hotels, hospitals, airports, and corporate centers, and some of his best known works are libraries and museums. Stylistically, Pei is considered to be a modernist because of his strict adherence to geometry and the use of elementary forms, yet his architecture defies simple categorization. This teaching guide discusses one of I. M. Pei's most famous buildings, the East Building of the National Gallery of Art on the National Mall, in Washington, DC, dedicated on June 1, 1978. The guide first gives background information on the East Building and on I. M. Pei's career. It then discusses the East Building in detail, with particular attention to its interior. The guide provides 11 illustrations of sketches, scale models, and interior designs for the East Building. Presents classroom activities for elementary school, middle school, and high school students. Contains 2 resources. (BT)