Construction: A Thematic Unit
Ella Marie Long
 Introduction
Standards 
Objectives
Activities
Assessment 
Results
Resources
 
    Introduction
The teaching of standards based academics, and the accumulation of credits for high school graduation can be accomplished through most of the hands on activities of a construction class.
 
     
    Subjects Addressed
     
  • English                                               Science
  • Math                                                  Vocational/Consumer Education
  • World History                                    Career Exploration
  • US History                                         Fine Arts/ Foreign Language
  • Geography                                         State Requirements
  • Government
  • Economics                                          P. E.
        Ninth through twelfth grade
 
 
Instructional Objectives 

         Using research and hands on activities, the students will construct a scale model of a city or town.  Along with the physical project, the students will research the different departments, aspects of city government, and organizations that make up a city.  They will also choose a residential house in the scale model, and act as the land and /or home owner.  They may also choose to be a renter at an apartment complex.

   . 
Student Activities
        Students will be using construction materials, vocabulary, and scale materials as much as possible to build the city.  Only the Standards for ninth through twelfth grade that  can not be addresses by the work on the city and in the papers explaining the parts of the government and running of the city, or workings from the landowner's or city citizen's point of view will be taught from books or other projects.

Introductory Activity            Explain to the students that they will be building a city or town to scale with to scale materials or substitutes as needed when actual materials are not available.  They will be researching the branches of government, utilities, single dwelling ownership, etc. to base a city or town economy, government, etc. on.  During the time the city or town is being built the research will culminate in papers turn in to the teacher, and/or projects, and/or presentations to help with the scale model and presentation.
 
 

Enabling Activity(ies)

     Some of the activities that will be used to help the students learn to make the scale model will be   Model House  from the student file, Teacher's Lessons - English, and Remedial Math-1.

Culminating Activity

     Students will build the city or town writing papers, doing small projects, presentation, and or anything else that will help them as a group show that they understand what is involved in city government (and specifically obtaining permits), economics (as well as the economics of being in construction),  the needs of homeowners etc.

Assessment

     The students will be assessed with the rubric for each lesson along the way, and on their ability to explain the building and workings of the city or town.  The rubric for the final city or town will have two parts. It will include the structures, and the explainations of the workings of the town parts that the students have taken part in.

Results
After implementing your lesson (sometime between January & March), insert a chart of your pre-test, post-test, and culminating assessment data. Web Resources & Supplementary Materials

Introductory Activity
List and link the web resources for this activity here. Also link supplementary materials such as PDF files and /or document files.

Enabling Activities
 

Culminating Activity
     Using to scale construction materials and substitutes as necessary, the students will build a scale model of  a town or city.  The town or city will consist of government buildings, businesses, roads, landscaped areas, houses, and other physical features as would be added for the length of time the town or city has been in existence as determined by the teacher.


 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

School Name Yuba County Career Preparatory Charter School
School Location : Marysville
Your Name and e-mail address Ella Marie Long longelm@neteze.com
Last Revised: 5/4/01