Lesson Plan - Trades People

 

Purpose

To teach the names of different people who work to build various structures. 

 

Review Background

Ask students to tell what they have seen being built and what some of the people were doing (shared experiences).

 

Importance of this Lesson

This lesson is to identify some of the people working on buildings. This lesson is important because children will become aware of the many different jobs related to construction. 

 

Objectives

At the end of this lesson the learner will demonstrate an understanding of different jobs by:

• Orally naming workers.
• Acting out jobs the workers do.
• Matching job-related items (tools).
• Singing songs about workers.

 

Motivation

Allow children to listen to ( they will learn) the song "I Build Houses". As each job title is mentioned in the song, show the corresponding picture. (Identification) 

 

Activities and Procedure

The teacher and/or student will:

• Discuss people named in song.
• Introduce new words by writing them on board or present on word cards. Names for workers: foundation builder, plumber, electrician, painters, bricklayers, contractor. (new vocabulary)
• Have students name tools they are familiar with. Discuss and explain how used by each worker.
• Show picture of people one at a time discussing what each person does. Have learner tell something about the pictures. (e.g. Carpenter has a hammer.) Discuss learner's comments.
• Match new vocabulary words with cut-outs of people.
• Present pictures of the following: saw, hammer, pipes, wire, paintbrushes, bricks, trowel, wrench, nails, plugs, etc.
• Introduce new tool song.
• Match the tool picture with the worker.
• Discuss construction terms for materials found in the house. (pipes-plumbing, plugs-electricity, etc.)
• Discuss special clothing worn - gadget apron, caps, overalls, etc.
• Provide individual learners with paper to draw a picture of the person he/she found most interesting.
• Allow each child to exhibit and tell about the picture drawn.
• Allow children to construct. Discuss the difference between junk construction (not as planned) and house construction.
• Allow children to paint the building with water. Anything wooden works best. Complete other "trade" activities in learning centers.
• Enjoy celery stick snacks and bring in Math by sawing the celery stick in half. (Use serrated plastic knife to represent saw.) Raisins can be glued.
• Use peanut butter and crackers to show how putty is used and helps to hold the bricks together.

 

Materials

• Pictures of workers
• Pictures of tools
• New words on paper (or board)
• Trade Books
• Art supplies (crayons, markers, paper)
• Chalk
• Music teacher - made tape of the songs "I'm a Builder" and "Carpenter's Tools"
• Tape recorder
• House Painting Brushes (smaller ones can be used at easel)
• Plastic or real toolbox (includes trowels, screwdrivers, wrenches, pliers, etc.).
• Hard Hats, carpenter's apron, heavy gloves, safety goggles (can be made from 6-pack rings), and work shoes
• Styrofoam (with Velcro glued on for construction) or wooden blocks
• Old architectural plans or blueprints
• Simplified plans to use for patterns
• Commercial bricks or cardboard bricks
• Serrated plastic knife (to represent saw)
• Peanut butter, crackers, celery
• Wire (coated for safety - telephone scraps)
• Plastic connecting blocks such as Legos, Bristle Blocks, Constructs, etc.
• Nuts and bolts, scrap pegboard
• Task card and pattern page of designs children can copy
• Tinkertoys
• Toy construction vehicles
• Puzzles
• Wooden logs such as Lincoln Logs
• Plastic Pipe pieces and connectors
• Web site: What Does A Carpenter Do?
• Web site: What Does An Electrician Do?

 

Early Finishers (Enrichment)

• Reread the story quietly or with a peer.
• Complete a matching game.
• Write a story or draw a picture about which job he/she would like to do.
• Assign a specific center activity.

 

Special Needs

• Verbal and motor skills will continuously be encouraged through story discussion and drawing activity.
• The song will encourage gross motor movements.
• Visual representations of workers should retain prominence in the room. 

 

Closure

The teacher will have students discuss one fact that was learned about the tradespeople, tools, or items built into the home. 

 

Construction Center Directions

Make a Construction Center with:

• house painting brushes
• inexpensive plastic tools or commercial miniature set
• plastic or real storage box for toolchest
• Styrofoam blocks
• cardboard bricks
• old architectural plans or blueprints
• costumes (hard hats, aprons, gloves, safety goggles, workshoes, etc.)

 

Directions for Matching Activities

• Reduce and Xerox pictures of workers and tools.
• Glue tools to one side of heavy construction paper or poster board. Laminate board and copy of workers.
• Attach Velcro to back of each worker piece and in an empty space beside the tool. (Can be done on board as a large group activity.)
• (See attached for individual activity.)
• Enlarge any tools included to make a puzzle.

 

Note

More information is provided in this initial plan than usual to allow teacher- flexibility of background concepts to develop.

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