Woods 1: Beginning Wood Shop

Syllabus
Instructor: Rebekah Cavitt
Course Duration: 8 weeks
E-mail: rschott@nmu.edu

Course Description:

This class will inform students of different types of construction and building trades
along with familiarize students with basic carpentry skills needed in order to pursue
further education into a construction or building trade career. Students will be taught the
proper ways to use both manual and power tools to construct a night stand or end table of
their choosing. Estimating material cost, reading blueprints, and identifying and knowing
characteristics of wood are some of the many basics of carpentry that one will learn in
this class.

Student Learning Outcomes/Learning Objectives:

After the students have completed this course they should be able to:

Identify tools by their proper names and know for what purpose the tool is used.
Use a rule or measuring tape in order to accurately determine the length of an
object.
Follow proper safety procedures when using woodworking tools and machinery.
Be able to read blue prints and design and sketch out a project with dimensions.
Be aware of what types of construction and building trades jobs are available.
Be able to identify what type of wood a board is made out of along with the
characteristics of the wood.
Understand the manufacturing process of different types of lumber.
Calculate how much board foot of lumber is needed to create a project when
given a complex drawing or blueprint.
Identify and determine when to use different types of fastening systems.
Identify different types of wood joinery and when to use them.
Create a night stand or end table.

Course Expectations:
 Students are expected to be seated at their work bench with safety glasses within their
reach as soon as class starts. If a student does not have safety glasses, they will not be
allowed to remain in the wood shop.

Students cannot use the woodworking tools until they have passed the safety test.

Students who are not prepared for class or are late for class will lose their participation
points for the day.

Students are expected to stop working and start cleaning up the shop eight minutes before
class ends. If a student does not participate in cleaning the shop they will lose their
participation points for the day.

Students should treat the tools with respect, along with respecting their teacher and peers.
Any form of goofing off that puts someones safety at risk will not be tolerated. The
student will receive a failing grade and not be allowed to work in the shop.

If a student is absent and is falling behind on making their project they are expected to
come in during lunch or after school to catch up. If a student does not complete their
project by the expected due date they will not pass the class.

If a student is absent and misses a quiz they have one day to take the quiz. If a student
does not take the quiz the day they return to school, they will receive no credit for taking
the quiz.

Lab Policies:
Always wear your safety glasses
 Wear fitting clothing that covers your legs, toes, and shoulders (ex. T-shirt, jeans and
tennis shoes). Baggy clothing, jewelry, long hair, skirts, dresses, and open toed shoes are
not allowed (long hair must be put up in a bun or pony tail).
Always have someone catch for you when using the table saw or planer.
Never try to remove scrap pieces of wood when the blade is still spinning.
Make sure that the woodworking tool is unplugged before switching out a blade or bit.
Be aware of your surroundings and make sure you are working with your tools in a safe
area.
Know what emergency procedure must take place in case if an emergency within
classroom.

Materials/Tools Required:

Safety Glasses (provided)

Hearing Protection
Measuring tape
Pencils (mechanical pencils are not allowed)
Try Square or Speed Square
Lumber (Provided)
Fastening systems (aka screws and nails)
Carpentry, 5th edition, by Leonard Koel textbook (Provided)
Notebook and/or folder with paper

Course Schedule:

Week One: Introduction to tools

Week Two: Safety in the Shop
Week Three: Blueprints, Construction Trade careers, Begin projects
Week Four: Characteristics of Wood, Work on projects
 Week Five: Calculations, Work on projects
Week Six: Fastening Systems, Work on projects
Week Seven: Wood Joinery, Work on projects
Week Eight: Finishing projects, test, clean-up

Grading Scale: Grading:

Grade Percents 50%

A 93-100
A- 90-92
B+ 87-89
B 83-86
Daily Schedule
B- 80-82
C+ 77-79
C 73-76
C- 70-72
D+ 67-69
D 63-66
D- 60-62
F Below 60
Project Participation
Safety Test 10%
Mini Tests 20%
Cumulative Written Test 10%
Application Test 10%
100%
 Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday
Week 1 Course Identifying How to Practice and Mini Test
Objectives hand tools, properly readoverview of over
and power tools, and use identifying identification
Introductions and measuring tools and of tools and
woodworking devices basic basic
machines measuring measuring
Week 2 Hand tool Power tool Woodworking Shop safety Safety Test
safety safety machine and overview
safety Chose which
night stand
to make
Week 3 Reading Reading other Types of Overview of Mini Test
night stand types of construction reading Over types of
blueprints blueprints and building blueprints construction
trades and and building
construction trades/
and building reading blue
trades prints

Work on Work on night Work on night Work on Work on

night stand stand stand night stand night stand

Week 4 Students Characteristics How lumber Size, shape, Mini Test

bring in of wood is and Over
scrap lumber manufactured dimensions construction
and of lumber. materials
engineered
Wood wood
identification products

Work on Work on Work on night Work on Work on

night stand night stand stand night stand night stand
Week 5 Work on Basic addition Calculating Overview of Mini Test
Night stand and board foot calculating Over
subtraction of board foot calculating
fractions and addition board foot
and and basic
subtraction addition and
fractions subtraction of
fractions test

Work on night Work on night Work on Work on

stand stand night stand night stand

Week 6 Work on Types of nails Types of Other Mini Test

night stand screws fastening Over
systems fastening
systems

Work on night Work on night Work on Work on

stand stand night stand night stand
Week 7 Types of Types of wood Work on night Work on Mini Test
References:

Easterwood, G. (2010, November 15). Beginning Woodworking. Retrieved October 19, 2016,
from http://www5.austincc.edu/faculty/syllabus.php?id=221960