California Career and Technical Education Standards

• ANR.B.B2.4 Complete a woodworking project, including interpreting a plan, developing a bill...
• ANR.FS.11.0 Demonstration and Application

California Academic Content Standards (Reinforced)

• ELA.9-10.R.CAGT.2.6 Demonstrate use of sophisticated learning tools by following technical direction...2

• Need a gift Idea - Hooks / Set

  (This is a great unit to do at the end of the semester around winter break.  Kids always need gifts for family this time of year, and most woodshops have a lot of scrap wood that can be used up to make the cutting board.)

  Start the class off asking the question "How many of you are done gift shopping for the upcoming holidays?"  Solicit some answers from the class and find out what kinds of things the average high schooler is buying this year.  "I have a few people that I can't think of a good gift for, and my personal funds are running a little dry"  Ask the class for suggestions, then roll in a bin or wheel barrow full of scrap wood from the shop or from local lumber yards.  " What could we make that would be a good gift from this pile of scrap?"  Guide the class to the answer that you are looking for which is a laminated cutting board.  Show a few and discuss what goes into making them. "Today we will study the way that wood is harvested and finished so that we can use it to make useful and beautiful things like these cutting boards".

  • Edge Grain Sample [ View Image ] [ Download Original ] Use these sample pictures if you don't have the project on hand.
  • End Grain Sample [ View Image ] [ Download Original ] Use these sample pictures if you don't have the project on hand.
  • Addition of different wood types adds color and style. [ View Image ] [ Download Original ] This board has maple with contrasting walnut to add some color and interest.
• Cutting and Shaping Wood - Lecture

  Power point presentation with student handout on common methods for cutting and shaping wood.

  • Selecting, Cutting, and Shaping Wood [ Download ] PPT for lecture on topic
  • Student Notes Page [ Download ] This word document is a student note page to accompany the ppt.
• Demonstration of Selection of wood and Glue up. - Demo / Modeling

  The attached word document is the procedures to demonstrate the steps from selection to glue up of the cutting board project.

  • Procedures: Selection to glue up [ Download ] These procedures will guide the beginning of the project through gluing
  • Picture of wooden block in clamps [ View Image ] [ Download Original ] How to clamp up the wood for gluing.
• Students work through procedures - Lab / Shop

  Have the students complete the project up to glue up.  While the projects are drying,you can demonstrate the finishing and shaping techniques.  Stress safety here, especially with the smaller pieces of material that may be used.
• Trimming and Sanding - Demo / Modeling

  (This is a great unit to do at the end of the semester around winter break.  Kids always need gifts for family this time of year, and most woodshops have a lot of scrap wood that can be used up to make the cutting board.)

  Start the class off asking the question "How many of you are done gift shopping for the upcoming holidays?"  Solicit some answers from the class and find out what kinds of things the average high schooler is buying this year.  "I have a few people that I can't think of a good gift for, and my personal funds are running a little dry"  Ask the class for suggestions, then roll in a bin or wheel barrow full of scrap wood from the shop or from local lumber yards.  " What could we make that would be a good gift from this pile of scrap?"  Guide the class to the answer that you are looking for which is a laminated cutting board.  Show a few and discuss what goes into making them. "Today we will study the way that wood is harvested and finished so that we can use it to make useful and beautiful things like these cutting boards".
• Students Finish Project - Lab / Shop

  Using the above modeling the students will finish their cutting boards.
• Wrap it UP! - Closure

  A good way to close out this lesson is to actually gift wrap the cutting boards if the season is right. Mother's Day and Father's Day would also be great opportunities for this class.  This one is an inexpensive project that can really yield some nice results.

  Students should be allowed to reflect on the construction process and any issues or successes that they had.