Build Up!, the initial phase of AGC of America's Construction Futures campaign, is a complete teaching curriculum intended to enhance the image of the construction industry and meet future workforce needs through integrated math, science and community-oriented projects for fifth-graders. The Build Up! curriculum-designed by AGC, in conjunction with Scholastic, Inc.-includes lesson plans, materials for a number of classroom and at-home projects, several copies of the book Up Goes the Skyscraper, and a 30-minute video on How They Build Bridges.

Since the inception of Build Up! two years ago, AGC of Ohio members have donated over 130 kits, reaching nearly 6,000 students about the construction industry. Yet there is still a long way to go.

Build Up! takes aim at fifth graders, mainly 10-year-olds, because they have the motor skills to work with hands-on materials. It is also at this age that children begin eliminating career choices that they find less enticing.

Furthermore, according to U. S. Census data and birth rates, children between the ages of 5- and 14-years-old represent the second post-war baby boom, and they comprise approximately 15 percent of the entire U.S. population.             

With this in mind, fifth graders were chosen because they represent the mid-point of the post-war baby boom.

Can (and will) teachers share Build Up! Tool Kits?

The Build Up! Tool Kit was designed for a class of 30 students. As long as teachers do not plan to use the Tool Kit at the same time during the school year, they can (and most likely will) share it. During the school year, several teachers could share the same kit as long as the consumable items are replenished.

It is estimated that the life of a Build Up! Tool Kit is approximately three to five years, depending on how well the kit is taken care of. When you consider this potential, the actual cost of each Build Up! Tool Kit will be less than $1 per student.

TALK TO YOUR OWNERS: Donate kits to school systems in which your company is renovating or building schools, or has done so in the past.

USE YOUR EMPLOYEES: Distribute memos to employees asking if they know any fifth-grade teachers or have children in the fifth-grade. Contact those teachers and then encourage your employees who responded to participate in an activity with the students.

VISIT YOUR ALMA MADDER: Contact the elementary school you attended. Schools love to hear about past students who are successful!

CONTACT YOUR LOCAL JVS: Joint vocational schools know the elementary schools from which most of their students come. Obtain a list of schools from them and then contact the principal to see if any teachers might be interested.

LOOK AROUND YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD: Contact the elementary school in your neighborhood or the one your children attended.

What materials are available to help?

PROMOTIONAL VIDEO:  Build Up! in the Classroom: Shows a Build Up! kit being used. AGC of Ohio has copies to give to contractors. It can also be viewed from AGC of America's website.

SAMPLE LETTER TO SCHOOLS: Can be used as a guide when writing letters to send to schools, asking them if they would like to receive a Build Up! Tool Kit.

SAMPLE TOOL KITS: AGC of Ohio has a few Build Up! tool kits that members can borrow to show to potential teachers and schools.

BLUEPRINT FOR VISITING THE CLASSROOM: Discusses how to arrange a class visit as well as do's and don'ts for the visit.

Any of these materials can be obtained by contacting AGC of Ohio or visiting the "Information for Contractors & Industry Sponsors" link of the "Education" section of AGC of America's website www.agc.org.

To order a kit or for more information, contact Andrea Maclam at AGC of Ohio (614) 486-6446 or e-mail andrea@centralohioagc.com. You can also visit the Education section of AGC of America's website www.agc.org

     What is included in the Build Up! Tool Kit?

The Build Up! Tool Kit is shaped like a toolbox and made of colorful cardboard. This kit includes activities designed to educate children on the construction industry, emphasizing the positive impact on the environment and the importance of construction site safety for children. It contains the following materials:

Build Up! Teaching Guide—activities and lesson plans for hands-on activities and resources

"How Do They Build Bridges" Video—an up-close look behind the scenes at the construction of bridges

Family Pages—student take home materials that stresses construction site safety for children and suggests family explorations for the entire family to enjoy

Teacher Wrap—a packet of supplemental and enrichment activities for the students designed to complement and link the Build Up! Teaching Guide and Family Pages

Teacher Questionnaire—solicits feedback from teachers on how to improve the teaching materials and activities

Consumable Materials for classroom projects—includes 12" pipe cleaners, Popsicle sticks, modeling clay, and 12" rulers for hands-on activities

4-color Build Up! Poster—showcases a city under construction with classroom activities on poster back

Up Goes the Skyscraper Book by Gail Gibbons—each kit contains 8 copies

The consumable items in the kit include pipe cleaners, Popsicle sticks, modeling clay, and 12" rulers for hands-on activities. Each kit contains enough material for 30 students. These items may be replenished by the sponsor or the school for approximately $10-$20 per year.

Sponsors receive a Sponsor Information Kit and notification that the Build Up! Tool Kit has been delivered. The Sponsor Information Kit includes instructions for contacting the teacher, visiting the classroom (if the sponsor wishes), and conducting a hands-on activity that can be led during the visit. A sample draft press release and letter to the teacher are also included.

The Build Up! Teacher's Guide and Teacher's Wrap include approximately 25, one-hour lesson plans, activities and hands-on exercises designed to be taught over a 2-3 week period. The amount of time spent and material covered by a class greatly depends on the teacher and the activities he/she chooses to use.

Some teachers choose to only do one or two of the hands-on activities, while others spend more time on the material provided.

List of Interested Teachers
 

The second phase of AGC’s Construction Futures campaign, On Site!, is now available. The kit is designed to educate middle/junior high school students (grades 6-9) about the different types of construction and the career opportunities available to them. On Site! offers curriculum-based lessons geared for use in social studies and math classes with links to language arts and science, as well as hands-on experience. The cost per kit is $185.

The first phase of Construction Futures, Build Up!, is still available free of charge to Central Ohio AGC members who wish to take advantage of this offer (a $185 value per kit!). The Build Up! program educates fourth- and fifth-graders about the construction industry.

For more information about Build Up! or On Site!, contact Andrea Maclam at AGC, (614) 486-6446 or andrea@agcohio.com.