Residential Concrete: The World of Foundations STEM Integrated Project
Throughout this unit, students will dive in to the world of foundations! They will be learning all about concrete, from how it's made to why it plays such a huge role in everyday life. Students will learn about rebar and why concrete would not be as strong with out it, and learn to identify the different sizes of rebar by knowing the measurements. There is also some great trade-related math that gives the students a chance to learn the proper way to calculate how much rebar is needed for a job and to calculate how much concrete is needed. Scientists and engineers continue to create ways to improve concrete as a building material.
In addition to the CTE/STEM focus of the unit/project lessons, educators will find academic lessons in Math and English Language Arts (ELA) that supplement the primary core area of study.
- The Science and Math lessons will show students how concrete has become an integral part of sustainable home design and home energy performance.
- Students will also learn how engineers calculate insulation values for different materials and how materials such as concrete, wood, styrofoam can be used in combination together to end up with a better insulating value and overall durable structure.
- Students will get a chance to better understand the way heat moves and flows in a home based on the design of the home. Students will also learn how to calculate the conductive heat flow and make comparisons to the way different building materials allow heat to conduct within a structure.
- Students will also develop a compare and contrast essay and explore the role of literacy and other essential skills in a workplace environment such as a construction site.
The structure of this unit and the materials contained within it were created by Evan Clark (CTE), David Grant (Science), and Lora Hunter (ELA) with support from the CTE Online curriculum leadership team and detailed coordination provided by the Course Specialist Gregg Witkin.
