Three Sectors of Construction

Building

Industrial

Infrastructure

Residential, commercial or institutional.

Power plants, mills and manufacturing.

Dams, bridges, highways and public works.

Chart of Hand Tools from Pop Chart Lab

300 meticulously illustrated hand tools. On their website you can zoom to study or purchase the chart. popchartlab.com

Residential Construction

"The most popular method of residential construction in North America is wood-framed construction. Typical construction steps for a single-family or small multi-family house are:

• Develop floor plans and obtain a materials list for estimations (more recently performed with estimating software)
• Clear the building site
• Excavate the foundation and dig footers.
• Pour a foundation and footers with concrete
• Build the main load-bearing structure out of thick pieces of wood and possibly metal I-beams for large spans with few supports. See framing (construction)
• Add floor and ceiling joists and install subfloor panels
• Cover outer walls and roof in OSB or plywood and a water-resistive barrier.
• Install roof shingles or other covering for flat roof
• Cover the walls with siding, typically vinyl, wood, or brick veneer but possibly stone or other materials
• Install windows​"

​via Wikipedia

Useful Links

Construction Site Field Trip

On this KidVision VPK virtual field trip, visit the Marlin's stadium and parking garages under construction. Learn about planning, safety and measuring, and practice using tools. It is quite a site!

Machines

Children's Literature

Home Advisor's Educator's Guide to Building and Construction
"The world of building and construction, from its tools to its materials to its constantly developing innovations, can serve as a rich learning area for  classrooms and home school environments."
www.homeadvisor.com

PBS Learning Media Construction related videos and resources from
"PBS LearningMedia is THE destination for high-quality, trusted digital content and solutions that inspire students and transform learning."
thinktv.pbslearningmedia.org
​

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Practical Action
Learn detailed information about community supported sustainable construction. 
"Practical Action helps poor communities to make the best use of their own labour and to use locally produced building materials and techniques that they can afford and manage."
practicalaction.org

Words to Know

Key Concepts

Length The measurement or extent of something from end to end.
Height The measurement from base to top.
Weight A body's relative mass or the quantity of matter contained by it, giving rise to a downward force; the heaviness of a person or thing.
Build To construct (something, typically something large) by putting parts or material together over a period of time.
Materials The matter from which a thing is or can be made.
​Shape The external form or appearance characteristic of someone or something; the outline of an area or figure.
Design A plan or drawing produced to show the look and function or workings of a building, garment, or other object before it is built or made.
Model A proportionally scaled representation of a full size structure.
Structure A building or something built of parts arranged in a specific way.
Support A material that bears the weight of something or keeps it upright.
Bridge A long structure to go across and above something like a river or road.

Want more in depth content knowledge? 
Go to the National Science Teachers Association for articles, books and free online modules. you do not need to be a member to access many of the resources.

nsta.org