Abby Brown: Construction means building something, building a great big building or a home or a park or even a road. Constructing something always starts with a plan. An architect uses a special computer to draw a plan called a blueprint. And then the fun begins!

(music)

Abby: Great big machines like bulldozers and backhoes make sure the ground is flat and strong.

(music)

Abby: Next comes the teamwork. One team mixes and pours concrete, one team builds the walls, and another team makes sure everything is strong and sturdy. There's a special team for anything you want to build.

(music)

Abby: When all the teams have finished their work, construction is complete.

Abby: Have you ever played with legos? Or built a fort out of pillows and blankets? If so, you were a construction engineer! Building and constructing, especially with friends, is so much fun!

(whistle blows)

 

Abby: Try using lots of different shapes. Did you know construction engineers use triangles to make bridges extra strong? Try using lots of different materials like paper, blocks, sand, clay or popsicle sticks. When you use your imagination you can construct anything!