Part of Lesson Plan: Measuring and Evaluating Slope

Activity Overview / Details

Measuring and determining slope relates to my unit in Landscape design.  After demonstrating with a wheelchair crash dummy, return to the classroom.  Show the video again.  After the students have had their laughs watching the crashing wheelchairs, introduce the concept of slope.  Slope, as used in landscape design, is the rise over the run and when converted to a percentage cannot exceed the allowable slope per ADA standards.  This exercise is necessary for the students to know how to design the pathways in a particular area to be landscaped for student use.

Find an area of your campus that needs a new landscape.  Brainstorm with your students the possible uses for the area and if it can be used by students for break, lunch, study groups, etc.  When it is used by students, it must adhere to ADA standards for slope.

I give the formula for calculating slope and give several samples of the calculations.  I then explain how to convert the number into a percentage.  I make sure they understand the concept of the percentage since many of my students are in lower level math courses.  I also show how they have already leaned slope calcualations in their math classes by using an X, Y graph.

I draw a diagram of an area with arrows indicating the direction of slope.  I then explain the process of measuring the distance with the tape measure (run) and then using the string and bubble level to get a level line over that same distance.  Once the string is level, have the students measure the vertical distance from the bottom of the slope to the end of the string line.  That distance will be the rise.

I show the calculations and then convert to percentage and compare the percentage to the standard for pathways in ADA regulations.,