Part of Lesson Plan: Placing, Finishing and Curing Concrete

Activity Overview / Details

Plan ahead and find a spot on campus or on the school farm to pour a concrete slab or sidewalk.  Get the entire class involved in all the steps required within the pour; clearing the pour site, setting up the forms, calculating the cubic yards needed, calculating the amount of sand, gravel and portland cement required, and calculate the total bill of materials needed for the pour.  Have the students mix, perform slump tests, pour, tamp, screed, float, edge, joint, and finish the slab. Talk to administration or school maintenance on a possible pour site and possible funding for the project.  Recommend at least a 2-3 cubic yard pour, allowing all students to participate in all the concrete steps and processes. Teacher needs to decide if the pour is going to be mixed with an engine/electric driven cement mixer or a ready mix truck.  *If mixing and pouring by cement mixer allow more time to complete, than by concrete truck (ready mix).  If the instructor is inexperienced in concrete work, recommend having the maintenance department within the school to help the instructor and students throughout the project (from start to finish).