Lesson Plan: Building a House
Purpose
- To teach the sequence of constructing a building.
- To teach standard construction names for materials in the home.
- To understand different materials that are used in building.
Review Background Knowledge
The teacher will ask children to name different rooms in the house and tell what was built in (non-movable) and what was bought (movable items). Explain the preparation.
Importance of this Lesson
This lesson is to teach what a house contains before a family moves into it.
This will help children understand different construction projects that go into building a house.
Objective
At the end of the lesson the learner will demonstrate an understanding of the process of building by naming materials and general steps in constructing a building.
Process sequence:
- Readying the site
- Building the foundation
- Erecting the walls
- Putting on the roof
- Selecting pictures of items used in building,
- e.g. pipes, wires, lumber, nails, shingles, etc.
Motivation
The teacher will read the story of The Three Little Pigs and have the children to act out the story. Explain that for the next several days they will learn construction, exactly how a house is built. The teacher will explain the term "construction" using pictures and examples of how they "construct" projects for art, etc.
Activities/Procedures
The teacher will:
* Show different building materials such as brick, pieces of wood or
lumber, wire, nails, pipe, several shingles, etc.
* Relate materials to tools used and show pictures of how they are used.
* Have children name and discuss each item. Correct invalid concepts.
* Write names for materials or have written on word cards.
* After reinforcing allow children to match words with materials.
* Read story Building a House by Bryon Barton.
* Discuss the sequence of building.
- Bulldozer clears space.
- Foundation poured.
- Walls are put up.
- The roof is built.
- Install fireplace.
- Plumbing is put in.
- Wiring for electricity is installed.
- Doors and windows are put in.
- Inside and outside are painted.
* Show video "Construction Site" from Scholastic. Have students retell the story.
* Develop an instructional display board using each step in the above building process.
* Allow the children to add people and materials.
* Have children assemble blocks using designs from laminated sheets printed with simple small block patterns.
* Discuss each material, where it goes, and what it does in a house.
* Have children name areas in the classroom where these materials can be found.
* Discuss safety around electricity, wires, plumbing, nails, etc.
* Have students determine sequential order by numbering pictures.
* (Teacher assisted).
Materials
- Chalk
- Story, "The Three Little Pigs"
- Music, teacher-made tape of the song "This is the Way They Build a House"
- Heavy cardboard for pictures
- Cut out people and tools from previous lesson.
- Wall area for developmental instructional display.
- Lego Worlds web site
Building materials:
- wood, pipe, wire, nails
- paintbrushes (smaller ones can be used at easel)
- plastic tools or commercially purchased child-size
- tool set (include trowels, screwdrivers, wrenches, pliers, etc.)
- blocks, Styrofoam, wooden, or purchased cardboard "bricks"
- Styrofoam with Velcro glued on for constructing plastic connecting blocks, such as Legos, Bristle Blocks, Constructs, etc.
- nuts and bolts
- scrap pegboard
- task cards and pattern page designs children can copy
- Tinkertoys
- wooden logs such as Lincoln Logs
- plastic pipe pieces and connectors
- safety goggles (can be made from 6-pack rings), hard hat,
- heavy gloves, etc.
- toy construction vehicles
- old house plans or blueprints
- simplified plans to use for patterns
- puzzles
- sandpaper
- sequential order pictures of buildings
Early Finishers/Enrichment
- Allow students to complete pattern blocks and work on drawings for instructional display (unit board).
- The students that complete their constructions early complete one puzzle at their desk.
- Start on next items to be added to board.
- Build house using cardboard pieces, logs, or various blocks. See Center List.
- Make edible house from peanut butter and crackers.
Special Needs
Visual and auditory learners are addressed through teaching interaction, explanations, and demonstrations.
Closure
The students will write (dictate) and illustrate a story telling what they learned about the building process. If possible, schedule a carpenter, electrician, painter, etc. to come in for the class to meet. Discussion and questions will be directed by the guest consultant.
Unit End
Complete instructional display board.
Arrange to take a field trip to visit a building site.
