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LESSON: HOW A HOUSE IS BUILT
Lesson Summary
Follow the work of all the special workers as they build a house from start to finish - from designing the plans to landscaping the yard. What a lot of special skills are needed! This colorful book also shows pictures of houses from different places and eras.
Concept: Specialization
Definition: People specialize when they produce only some of the goods and services they consume, then trade with others to get more of the things they want.
Specialization increases the amount of goods and services that people produce and consume.
Comprehension Questions
What are some of the kinds of natural resources that are needed to build the many kinds of houses pictured at the beginning and end of the book?
Wood, stone, clay, tree bark, water/ice, animal skins, grass, stone caves, bamboo
What worker is in charge of building the house?
general contractor
What special types of workers does the general contractor hire to build the house?
See table below.
What special skills do these workers need to have?
See table below.
What kinds of capital resources do the workers use?
See table below.
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Worker
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Special Skills
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Capital Resources
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General Contractor
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Planning, organization, overall knowledge of house building
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Computer, pencil, books, plans
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Surveyor
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Using a transit, drawing, geometry
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Transit, pens/pencils, paper
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Heavy Equipment Operators
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Operating heavy machinery
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Bulldozer, dump truck, payloader
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Foundation Builders
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Digging, form building, concrete pouring
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Concrete trucks, shovels, forms
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Septic Tank Crew
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Installing septic tank, drains
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Bull float, pails plumbing and digging tools
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Carpenter Crew
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Many kinds of carpentry skills
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Saw, hammer, level, etc.
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Mason
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Skill with laying bricks/stone
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Trowel, pail, ladder device
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Electrician
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Electrical wiring skills
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Wire cutters, various kinds of tools
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Plumber
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Plumbing skills
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Wrench, pipe cutter, various tools
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Insulation/drywall
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Installing insulation and drywall
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Hammer, cutter, pail, trowel
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Painters
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Skill in painting
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Paintbrushes, pails, rollers
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Heating specialist
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Installing furnace and ducts
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Various tools
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Landscapers
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Gardening skills, landscape design
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Garden/landscape tools such as shovel, level, diggers
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Why is it better to specialize when you make a product such as a house?
You are able to produce more products since each worker only has to learn one skill – a skill he likes and has mastered. Also, since each worker specializes, the workmanship should be better.
How does using specialized workers create interdependence?
All the workers depend on the other workers to accomplish their specific tasks.
Other Concepts: natural resources, human resources, capital resources, productive resources
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