Carpenters work with wood. They make, finish, and repair wooden objects like furniture, housing structures (ex: floors, molding), toys, and more.
Carpenter
Carpenter
VIRTUAL JOB SHADOW
Welcome to your first day on the job! Watch this video to see what a day in the life of a Carpenter is like.
Imagine you are a carpenter and have been hired by a customer to make the strongest bench possible using only locally sourced wood. Your first step is to explore your local region and test the different types of wood available.
STEP 1: Devise a way to test the strength of the local trees in your area. Be sustainable, and don’t damage the trees 🙂
STEP 2: Perform your test that you devised in step 1 on at least 5 local trees. Take notes on the strength of each type of wood. You may also need to visit the library, research online, or use a tree identification app to figure out what kind of trees they are!
STEP 3: Based on your tests, which wood do you recommend using to create the bench for your customer? Why? Answer in claim, evidence, reasoning format.
STEP 4: Share your carpentry recommendation in the Student Showcase to build your resume!
PART 2
Here’s a fun and creative carpentry project to try – Wooden Photo Tree!
Materials Needed:
– 1 round, thin slice of wood, about the size of a small plate (try and find one in the woods, or have an adult help you cut a slice off an existing branch if a saw is available)
– hammer
– nail
– tape
– 2ft string, yarn, or twine
– clothespins
-photos
Directions (it’s easy!):
- Choose which side of the wood you want to be the ‘front’ (tip: choose the best looking side).
- Place the nail near the top of the BACK side of the wood.
- Use the hammer to insert the nail into the wood. Leave about a half inch of the nail sticking out.
- Tie the string/yarn/twine to the nail, and tape it in place to the back of the wood.
- Use the clothespins to attach your pictures to the string/yarn/twine hanging down.
- Display and admire your carpentry creation!
Optional: Share your carpentry creation in the Student Showcase to build your resume!
Here’s an example of how it can look: