The North Carolina General Assembly directed the State Building Commission to study the comparative costs of multi- and single-prime contracting and report the results to the 1995 General Assembly. Describes the analysis of data collected from governmental units that had awarded construction contracts. Identifies some alternative contracting…

Discusses issues in designing and building a new playground, including age groups, safety, the Americans with Disabilities Act, site selection, and landscaping. Also touches on parent-volunteer building and equipment designed by kids. (EV)

A first of its kind in the state of Florida, the Seminole Community College's Center for Building Construction was constructed as a partnership project between Seminole Community College, industry persons and the state of Florida. A training facility for students in the Construction Trades Apprenticeship Program, the building stands on the SCC…

In the world of project execution, "design/build" is the convention. With its emphasis on the benefits of early involvement (integration of design, engineering execution, design-build, procurement, and construction decisions), it has become the dominant mode (Rothman, 2004). In this project, students explore the design/build principle of…

Some of the most sophisticated 20th-century technologies have been applied to build the largest hydroelectric dam in the world, the Three Gorges Dam Project (TGDP) of China. The author administered a study abroad course in China from May 27 to June 10, 2000, to study the massive project as it approached the halfway mark of its second and most…

Wood education programs across the nation, at and below the secondary levels of education, have declined in enrollment in recent years. To many, wood education means only carpentry or woodworking. A systematic approach to the subject, as a part of a materials science course, can reverse the material's negative connotation and make wood education…

A view of construction from the window of a first-grade classroom was the catalyst for a multi-grade, multidisciplinary curriculum project at St. Patrick's Episcopal Day School in Washington, DC. This article provides background information on the school and the project, and details the students' work. The project description includes how the…

Puppets can be used in the classroom to teach, to tell stories, to introduce new students or books, and to develop children's cooperation, creativity, and coordination. Instruction on how to make and manipulate puppets, plan puppet plays, and locate information on puppetry are given. (PP)

Describes the light construction curriculum offered at Carteret Technical College, NC, in terms of course offerings, program finances, problems, and the establishment of tax-exempt endowment corporation through which the program was funded. Concludes with suggestions for organizing a construction program. (AYC)

The Lucia Mar (California) school system turned to a high school industrial arts class when no money could be found to construct a needed administration building. The project provided a new building, at half the cost of conventional construction, and valuable job training for many secondary students. (Author/WD)

Provides a set of plans for constructing a plant incubator for the classroom. Illustrations are provided as well as lists of materials and tips for rearing the plants. (SA)

At Turner Technical Arts School in Miami, one of seven academies teaches residential construction. The program has input from the building industry, integrates academic and vocational education, and provides practical work experiences. (SK)

The students in a K-1 class at a Washington elementary school built a mock four-seater airplane with some community assistance. They hired a building contractor (promising him red wriggler worms from the class compost bin) to help design the plane, obtained a Boeing certificate for $500 worth of spare parts, and attended an air show as exhibitors.…

A list of materials and construction instructions are provided for making a Buzz Stick and Question Box, an inexpensive, technologically advanced teaching device that serves to reinforce classroom instruction with a self-correcting, independent activity. Any activity that uses a multiple-choice format is appropriate for the device. (JDD)

Explains how to use the AppleWorks spreadsheet application for estimating labor, time, and materials costs in the construction industry. (SK)