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Summary and Objective
Students will understand that the woodworkers of the Colonial through the Civil War eras created both simple and impressive objects with hand tools and inventive minds.
Teaching Plan
Step 1.
In preparation for this lesson the teacher will present students with books and materials that make them aware of the construction process both in the present day as seen in their own homes, and in the 1750-1860 period as depicted in the "Diary of an Early American Boy" and other Eric Sloane works.
Step 2.
At the PVMA American Centuries web site, students will view the video demonstrations of early American tools. They will see a woodworker using hand tools and will learn how tools from the past helped shape wood to the purposes of the carpenter.
Step 3.
After watching the videos, students will look at the tool images selected for this activity. They will choose a tool that particularly appeals to them for closer inspection using the "Look Closer" icon. Students will use the "Zoom Level," "View Size," and "Navigator" features to thoroughly examine the tool. They will read the labels, take notes on the information available for the tool, and make a quick "three minute sketch."
Step 4.
Students will make detailed, careful sketches of their selected tool on drawing paper. As they draw, they will look for purposeful design features in the tool. They will know that the next step will be to research other sources, print and internet, for information on this tool and how it was used. They will also be comparing old tools to their contemporary counterparts in a post-activity session.
Step 5.
Once they have completed their drawings, students will research and write a short paragraph describing the tools in their drawings. The purpose of this description will be to combine their own observations with the historical details they have learned from the PVMA American Centuries museum labels and other print and internet sources.
Step 6.
Students will now look at the selected furniture in the lesson to make educated guesses about which of the featured tools might have been used in crafting the pieces. These speculations, including reasons for their choices, will be written in paragraph form.
Step 7.
In the follow-up lesson, students will look at both the child's textbook and the professional woodworkers' manual to see how woodworking skills were communicated at that time.
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