View Syllabus on School Curriculum and Standards Authority Website

Year 11

Unit 1

This unit introduces students to the considerations required in building design and explores properties of common, natural or pre‐made construction materials, their mechanical properties and use in construction. Students realize differences in structure and materials used. Basic plan drawing and reading is practiced with application in building, in addition to the skills in areas of content, such as working with construction materials, spatial perception and computation and levelling. The unit explores processes drawn from building projects. Students work with a variety of materials and develop a range of practical skills.

Unit 2

This unit explores properties of common, natural and pre‐made construction materials, their production, mechanical properties under direct loads (tension or compression) and use in construction. Concepts in space and computation are developed. Basic plan reading is practiced with application in building, as well as skills in areas of content, such as working with materials, spatial perception and computation and levelling. The unit explores processes in contexts drawn from building projects. Students work with a variety of materials and develop a range of practical skills.

Year 12

Unit 3

This unit explores properties of common construction materials (timber, metals, concrete, grout, brickwork, block work, insulation, mortar and paint); their mechanical properties under load and flexural actions; and their use in construction. Concepts in space and computation are developed. Students practice reading drawn/drafted information as applied to building. Documentation for small projects is developed. The unit explores processes in contexts drawn from building, landscaping, earthwork, projects involving different energy use, and the recycling of building materials.

Unit 4

This unit builds upon the understandings of building materials, structures and structural components and the evaluation of combinations of various materials to sustain the strength of structural components. The methods and materials used in connecting building elements are explored. Further design considerations are studied. Drawing/drafting skills are refined and practised with application to more complex building issues. New criteria are incorporated in the specifications of design projects and skills are practised in these areas of content. Service networks, economics and recycling are studied. The unit explores processes in contexts drawn from building, landscaping, and earthwork projects, involving environmental issues of building waste disposal, water and sewerage treatment.