Portland Community College | Portland, Oregon

Upon completion of the course students will be able to:

1. Lay out a grading plan in the field.
2. Grade and contour a site based on design documents and site characteristics.
3. Recommend solutions to existing grade problems.
4. Design, plan and evaluate landscape drainage solutions.
5. Install drainage features on a landscape site.

The Instructor prepares hands-on labs before class (e.g. find sites, organize equipment, prep site). During the lab period, the Instructor teaches grading and surveying techniques skills, design and installations of grading and drainage systems through active demonstrations in real time. Students then carry out surveying lab work with the Instructor's guidance and receive verbal feedback as they work. Students map and record the development of the project (written and with photographs). Students draft maps on the given projects detailing site specifications and limitations and offer analysis of the site with respect to the project design program. Plans and associated analysis are submitted and the Instructor evaluates the work outside of class time - providing a score and feedback on technical accuracy, completeness and professionalism.

1. Midterm and final exams
2. Portfolio
3. Weekly assignments
4. In-lab projects

1. Reading grading plans and relative construction documents
2. Identify and safely operate tools and equipment for grading and drainage installation
3. Materials and supplies for grading and drainage
4. Site layout for grading
5. Grading landscape sites
6. Site evaluation for grading and drainage
7. Evaluation of existing grading and drainage