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Week 4: Power, Water, and Heat — Essential Skilled Trades

5th Six Weeks | Architecture & Construction Cluster | 5 class periods (50 min each)

Lesson Objective

Students explore HVAC, electrical, plumbing, and welding careers through Hats & Ladders; compare certification timelines and earning potential across these trades; analyze DFW labor market data; and understand how MacArthur's existing Welding pathway (part of the School of Architecture, Construction and Civil Engineering) prepares students for structural trades. HVAC, electrical, and plumbing are covered this week as career-exploration topics using BLS and local apprenticeship data.

Demonstration of Learning

"I can describe the certification and training requirements for at least three skilled trades, compare their DFW salaries and job demand, and explain why these trades are classified as high-demand occupations."

TEKS Alignment

  • d(2)(A): Research and describe academic, technical, certification, and training requirements for skilled trades.
  • d(5)(A): Analyze labor market information such as job availability, industry trends, and employment projections.
  • d(5)(B): Classify occupations as high-skill, high-wage, and high-demand.
  • d(3)(G): Investigate apprenticeships and technical colleges as postsecondary pathways.

Materials Needed

Career Connection

Electricians, plumbers, HVAC technicians, and welders are among the most in-demand workers in America. DFW's explosive growth means new homes, schools, hospitals, and commercial buildings need these workers for every project. At the same time, experienced tradespeople are retiring faster than new workers are entering the field, a classic "skills gap."

Welding is already available at MacArthur through the School of Architecture, Construction and Civil Engineering (ACE): students can earn the Structural Steel & Metal Welding Certification in high school. HVAC, Electrical, and Plumbing pathways are not currently offered at Irving ISD campuses and are covered this week as career exploration topics through BLS, CareerOneStop, and local apprenticeship research.

What is Happening at Irving ISD? Welding at MacArthur High School (School of Architecture, Construction and Civil Engineering — ACE) leads to the Structural Steel & Metal Welding Certification. HVAC, Electrical, and Plumbing have no current Irving ISD pathway home. Students interested in these trades pursue them post-high-school through apprenticeship programs or technical schools.

Vocabulary

  • HVAC: Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning. HVAC technicians install and repair climate control systems.
  • Journeyman Electrician: A fully trained electrician who has completed an apprenticeship and passed a licensing exam. Can work independently.
  • Master Plumber: The highest level of plumbing licensure. Master plumbers can run their own businesses and pull permits.
  • Welder: A professional who joins metal parts using heat. Welders work in construction, manufacturing, pipelines, and shipbuilding.
  • Skills Gap: The difference between the skills employers need and the skills available workers have. Construction trades have one of the largest skills gaps in America.

Bridge to Theory (Hats & Ladders)

The H&L workbook Ch 3 confirms Electrical, HVAC and Sheet Metal, Masonry, and Plumbing and Pipefitting as pathways in the A&C cluster (p. 38). The workbook's pathway descriptions are brief, this week extends that content with deep career data from BLS, specific DFW labor market analysis, and Irving ISD pathway mapping.

Welding appears in the Manufacturing cluster (Ch 14) in H&L because welders work across both industries. Students reference Ch 14 briefly for Welder career data, then use Ch 3's Hat Research template from Week 1 as a structural reference for recording salary and demand data.

IISD Instructional Strategies

  • Jigsaw: Each team is assigned one trade (Electrician, Plumber, HVAC Tech, Welder). Teams become experts and present to the class.
  • Sentence Stems: For labor market analysis, "According to BLS data, the job outlook for _ is projected to grow % over the next 10 years. In DFW, the average salary is $__. This occupation is classified as high-demand because _____."
  • Think-Pair-Share: Compare earning potential of two trades and discuss personal fit.

Week at a Glance

Day Focus Key Activities Deliverable
1 H&L Skilled Trades Exploration Explore Electrician, Plumber, HVAC Tech in H&L Skilled Trades Comparison Matrix (started)
2 Welding + Jigsaw Research Welder career in H&L + deep research by assigned trade Jigsaw research notes
3 DFW Labor Market Analysis BLS job outlook research + classification with evidence Labor Market Analysis worksheet
4 Apprenticeship + Matrix Completion Post-HS trade pathway research (apprenticeships, trade schools) + complete Matrix + Career Plan update Completed Skilled Trades Matrix
5 Jigsaw Presentations + A&C Wrap-Up Team presentations + A&C cluster final favorites Jigsaw presentation + finalized A&C favorites

Formative Assessment

  • H&L trades exploration and matrix progress (Day 1): d(2)(A)
  • Jigsaw research depth and accuracy (Day 2): d(5)(A)
  • Labor market analysis with cited evidence (Day 3): d(5)(A), d(5)(B)
  • Skilled Trades Matrix completion (Day 4): d(2)(A)

Summative Assessment

Jigsaw Trade Presentation + Labor Market Analysis (Day 5): Teams present their trade research and each student submits their completed Skilled Trades Comparison Matrix and Labor Market Analysis worksheet. Scored on: certification knowledge accuracy (d(2)(A)), labor market data interpretation (d(5)(A)), and evidence-based career classification (d(5)(B)).

Differentiation

Scaffolded Learning

  • Pre-populated BLS data sheets for each trade so students focus on analysis rather than data retrieval
  • Simplified matrix with fewer comparison categories for students who need support
  • Allow students to focus on just 2 of the 4 trades if the full matrix is overwhelming

Extensions

  • Calculate the lifetime earnings difference between entering a trade at 18 versus completing a 4-year degree and starting work at 22
  • Research the growing demand for "smart HVAC" systems and how IoT technology is changing the trade
  • Create a recruitment poster for one of the Irving ISD 2027 pathways targeting future 9th graders

ELL Language Support

  • Pre-teach: Electrician = Electricista, Plumber = Plomero, Welder = Soldador, HVAC = Climatización, Skills Gap = Brecha de habilidades
  • Bilingual Skilled Trades Matrix with Spanish column headers
  • Labor market data uses numbers and charts that are accessible across language levels
  • Pair ELL students with bilingual peers during Jigsaw research