Part of Lesson Plan: Green Cabinetmaking Practices (green lesson)

Activity Overview / Details

Students will assess local applications of green technology in related shops or businesses, including cabinet making shops, lumber yards, suppliers, etc. However, the teacher also explains that there are other important elements to the assignment, including:

• Getting innovative, creative ideas to green applications…as indicated, this may be important with respect to your career plans, whether as a shop-owner or employee.
• Job search help…students will be required to research local businesses to contact and the scope of related job opportunities will be discovered
• Students will get practice at things that are frequently difficult for high school students…to make cold calls and to be able to conduct a formal conversation with an unknown person; teacher will stress that such practice, if remembered and approached seriously, will prove beneficial in later events. Teacher will stress such things as first impressions (again emphasizing time as money concept), of having to work through staff members to make an appointment, and being possibly rejected by a business.
• Students may realize that the interview may have a community impact, in that the interview may spur further thought and awareness to green building applications that the owner or manager had not considered.
• Teacher also explains that the student must remember that they, in this assignment, are a reflection of the program and school…emphasis is given to approaching this assignment in a mature, serious manner.
• Teacher stresses importance of communication skills, appropriate dress and hygiene skills, interviewing techniques, and preparation.
• Teacher reviews the Interview Rubric, used by the interview contact person to assess the student performance.  The procedure used for this is fully explained.

• Using a computer and projector, teacher demonstrates internet research of local business and examples of telephone pages, industry/business publications, etc.
• Teacher further describes cold call process, including initial contact with office staff, rejection, businesses closed, lack of returned messages, etc.
• Teacher, with student volunteers, models again good and bad telephone conduct.  Students also demonstrate the activity.

At interview, teacher describes appropriate behavior and again with student volunteers, models good and bad behavior; students also model such behaviors. Teacher then reviews modeling examples, soliciting input and questions from students.  Teacher and students explore other possible situations that might occur.  Teacher asks students to share possible worries or concerns that the students might have.