2. Introduce Assignment 1—Class discussion (10 minutes) • Pose the following questions to stress the importance of Assignment 1’s components:
• Why is the “General Description” in the specifications?
• What is the recap sheet? What does it tell us about this project?
• If the plans and the specifications conflict, what happens?
3. Introduction to reading Plans & Specifications—Small group discussion (10 minutes) • Form students into groups of four people. Provide the same set of drawings for each group.
• Review the structure of information in the plans. Remind students that information is arranged from the
most general to the most specific.
• Assign each group a particular subcategory (i.e., civil, architectural, structural, etc.) so they can practice read
ing these documents.
• Ask each group to identify all information that is relevant to their subcategory.
• Ask each group to select one student to present a summary of their subcategory to the class.
4. Analysis of Plans & Specifications—Jigsaw Exercise (15 minutes) • Divide students into pairs of two or three.
• For students with Plans, students are to write answers on a handout to the following questions:
• On what sheet might you find: General information describing the project property?
• Identify a center line: Where might you find this?
• Identify a hidden line: What might this represent?
• Find a section cut on sheet 4: Where does this lead you to? What is this showing?
• For students with Specifications, write answers on a handout to the following questions:
• Identify the four subcategories of the “finishes” division.
• Identify the strength of concrete required. Why is it important that the concrete strength is specified?
• Identify three types of concrete finishing described. Why are there three different types?
• Choose a division of your own interest. Do the specifications help you understand it?
• Arrange students into groups such that each pair has one person who worked on plans and the
other person who worked on specifications. Students are to describe their answers to each other.
