Introduce the story by showing Yangon, Myanmar, on a world map. Point out that students will be viewing a photo essay that portrays a record of the disappearing 1920's British colonial architecture inside the Southeast Asia city Yangon. Yangon is known as "a city that captured time." Architectural buildings, like the Great Pyramids of ancient Egypt, defined historical civilizations. Today, every city around the world has buildings. The iconic Empire State Building in New York City, the Taj Mahal in India, the Eiffel Tower in Paris, and the Leaning Tower of Pisa in Italy are some examples of buildings as cultural symbols. Ask students: How many of you think buildings can reflect the history of the places we live? What evidence do you have for your position? How do buildings tell a story of a city? Do you think a city's story matters?

Read or have students read the short description of the photo essay by the photographer. Direct students to view the photo essay in pairs or groups of three. Most of the buildings captured in the photos have been slated for demolition or have already been destroyed. Invite students to note the composition of each photo, including the architectural style, the color, light, and the everyday items photographed. Some of these items include calendars in a print shop, family portraits inside a home of 60 years, framed prints, maps inside an auctioned tailor's home, a television inside a postman's living room, and a typewriter inside an office. How do these photos depict an archive, or historical documentation, of the people who live in Yangon? What can you determine about the people living in Yangon in 2011, when these photos were taken?

Lead a discussion with such questions as:

• "As Yangon is demolished and built again, the heart of the city and the history of its subtle resolve are partially preserved in these photographs," comments photographer Elizabeth Rush. What do you think she wants us to know about the people and culture of Yangon? What do you think she is trying to preserve through these photos?
• In the photo essay, an outside development firm is trying to demolish one historic building and turn it into a 10-story apartment building. What happens when the new replaces the old? What would be the impact if a new mall replaced the iconic Liberty Bell in Philadelphia?
• How can architecture and place inspire us? Have you visited a place where the architectural buildings inspired you to document, via photography or video, your experience? What was the inspiration that motivated you? What did you wish to capture? Why? What questions did the architecture make you ask?
• In Paris, buildings and neighborhoods are centered around a square, which is a centralized meeting place that is usually pedestrian-only. How do buildings in our cities and towns reveal characteristics about us? What purpose do they serve? What would these buildings tell future generations?

Give students one of the following reflective writing prompts to demonstrate their understanding of the story:

1. As the president of an architectural and cultural heritage committee in Yangon, you are trying to convince the government to turn some of these historic colonial buildings into museums and art galleries. What would you include in your proposal? How do you think this would benefit residents and tourists? (NGSS.HS-LS2-7)
2. Many of the buildings in Yangon are over 100 years old and will be torn down. Do you think these historic buildings have value and should be restored? Do you think they should they be modernized? Why does it matter? (C3.D2.Geo.6.9-12)
3. Imagine that the photographer created a fund to give $10,000 to a young, budding photographer. The goal of the project is to emphasize the preservation of a building in your community, town or city, past or present. Write a proposal for this project. How would this project benefit your community? What impact could it have? (CCSS.ELA.SL.9-10.1 and SL.11-12.1)