Redwood High School
The Garden Weekly
Week 11 - Excavation
![Week_11_-_ Excavation icon]()
Week 11 - Excavationtitle
Hi Folks,
Coming up on week 11,
Students or two painted the beam ends. Just put a coat of any color to help seal the end grain. Use a piece of cardboard or paper to prevent dripping between boards
Excavation-
Students used a two-man auger to dif the footing piers.
We started in class discussing what needs to be done to finish the footings.
Give opportunities to have students talk about safety, potential hazards, and how to work together.
We continued to square the holes at 18” (use a 18” feeler stick to gauge width)
Students use the laser to check the height of the batter boards, They lifted boards that have settled or been stepped on. Use the outer batter board as zero and level to these. Finish by reestablishing string lines and marking holes and checking depth should be 54” or over to the string.
Building the Garden with Mr. Bender
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Building the Garden with Mr. Bendertitle
WK2
The team from ZFA engineers did a presentation. It was a good session that got the students thinking about stability by building structures. We also got to do some sketching. At the end of the last session, we started working on our model.
WK3
Design Concepts and inspiration
Gum drop toothpick
Measure site (we were going to do this but built a model instead)
Number of posts post height
Roof type - pros and cons of construction
The students built a scale model of the basic structure they will show/ discuss.
We were going to do a warmup with a gum drop/skewer building challenge.
I would love to start to introduce cad if possible.
It would also be great to still discuss roof types since we need to get that to move to design.
Stations -
Engineering challenge
Cad intro
Roof types
Sketching
WK5
Hi Folks,
Coming up on week 5,
Now that the site is mostly clear, I was hoping to do some work on on-site design and layout. I'm not sure if we have a good idea of the post locations but it would be nice to start to get some ideas of where the footings will go.
We can build some batter boards and start to lay out string and discuss how to make the layout square with 345 triangles or diagonals. I can also get a laser and we can look and decide our grade and discuss some basics for using a laser level. I would also like to continue to do design and get a group doing Rino again. I can set up a table in the greenhouse and will work on wifi...no promises.
WK6
Hi Everyone,
We are excited about this week. We almost have all the rebar done and the current record is Feleni with 3:12 that's three minutes and twelve seconds!!!
This week, Matt, Dan, and Chealse will bring framing diagrams and Wendy is going to bring the smart level to look at ADA compliance. We finished clearing the site. The goal is also to get a site plan done so we can talk to the district and begin digging piers next week. We can also look at doing a half or quarter model using 2x4 of a truss on a design of choice as an activity.
Cheers,
Jim
WK7
Hello Everyone,
Happy Halloween! I hope you all had a great weekend.
Happy Halloween! I hope you all had a great weekend.
This week we were able to work on putting the model trusses on site, staking out the building, and learning how to square the stakes. Below is the picture of the model trusses. Unfortunately, the scissor truss seems like it didn't make the cut and we will go with the standard truss and work from there. I have high hopes that with curved beams and good details that it will look spectacular. It also seems to fit better without space. Thanks everyone for doing the work that it took to get and drawings and our model made.
Tomorrow-
This will be an inside day. We can work on a model building and finish ties, as well as finish the site plan. I would like to also look at building a materials list and sizing the lumber.
This will be an inside day. We can work on a model building and finish ties, as well as finish the site plan. I would like to also look at building a materials list and sizing the lumber.
I have a big beam that we can move in as well to look at and measure how we can do curved braces.
Thanks everyone!
Jim
Jim
WK8
Hello Everyone,
looking forward to having you all back again today. We will continue with the work that we started last week.
Dulce started a materials list and calculated the Concrete amounts. It would be good to do an intro on what project management entails. and start a spreadsheet with;
# of connectors
Timber
custom hardware
fasteners
We are still working on the last two cages, and a new model.
As a goal for today, I would like to get the timber list/dimensions on paper so we can calculate the budget and make an order.
Please let me know if that sounds good to you.
See you this afternoon,
Jim
WK9
Hi all,
I am excited we are close to having our final drawings. I guess I got distracted by the scissor truss and realized that we had as the other option a cupola. I am wondering if we can put an option to have a cupola in. This of course will need approval, but I am hoping that it will be ok both structurally and aesthetically and give the added difficulty for the class and the look for the pavilion.
This week Ron from RnR rain gutter will be there. He will be helping us with the custom connections and this will be a bit of a hand off since we will be going to his shop to create these pieces.
We should be close to finishing a final model and have all the cages done.
I want to thank you all for your help and dedication to this project. It has been amazing to work alongside you all. It means a lot for the students to see a real project, professional work and behavior as well as have the sense that they are responsible for, and their actions have shaped the outcomes of the work that we are doing.
WK10
During this week got a wood delivery from a small sawmill in Watsonville. The owner Simon Silver builds custom furniture and hand mills his own wood. https://www.simonsilverdesigns.com/ Students met Mr Silver and helped unload the wood for the pavilion. They stickered the wood and stacked it in the cage.
WK11
Students or two painted the beam ends. Just put a coat of any color to help seal the end grain. Use a piece of cardboard or paper to prevent dripping between boards
Excavation-
Students used a two man auger to dif the footing piers
We started in class discussing what needs to be done to finish the footings.
Give opportunities to have students talk about safety, potential hazards, and how to work together.
We continued to square the holes at 18” (use a 18” feeler stick to gauge width)
Students use the laser to check the height of the batter boards, They lifted boards that have settled or been stepped on. Use the outer batter board as zero and level to these. Finish by reestablishing string lines and mark holes and check depth should be 54” or over to the string.
WK12
This week students taught the uses and safety of the miter saw. With students teaching each other they reinforced the lessons that they learned in class and help new students as they come in class. ..
Cheers,
Jim