Did you have wood or sheet metal shop in school? What did you make?

[lynn]

We had sheet metal shop in 8th grade and we made a house number sign and a tool box.  I just checked my Oma's house on google and the house number sign is still there.  My dad still has the tool box.  My mom still uses the   letter holder and lazy susan made my sisters in wood shop.    Are kids today missing out not learning about basic tools and the basics of measuring, cutting etc?  

[Guest]

We had wood shop, I don't recall any sheet metal shops in the district.

 

I believe we made routered signs, boxes, chess boards, cutting board, jigsaw puzzles, small display cabinets, and the like. I might be forgetting something but those were the basic middle school projects.

 

In high school I don't think we had a wood shop but there was automotive and welding vocational classes, and probably some others I'm forgetting.

[Jean in Newcastle]

I'm old enough that only boys got to take shop class.  Girls had to take Home Ec.  No exceptions. 

[Guest]

I'm old enough that only boys got to take shop class. Girls had to take Home Ec. No exceptions.

I'm glad ours weren't sex linked. I took both home economics and shop and enjoyed the latter much more :rofl:

Edited November 3, 2016 by Arctic Mama

[katilac]

My dh did. He for sure made a step stool, a small folding table, and three metal ducks on a wooden background. I know bc we still have all of those, lol. 

 

Yes, I think that shop is a great class, particularly for middle school, which tends to be such a holding pattern. Anything hands-on is good. 

[Crimson Wife]

My secondary school didn't have metalworking- students had to attend the regional voc-tech for that. Mine offered graphic design (which mostly involved learning to print the student newspaper using an old-fashioned printing press) and wood shop. I had to take a term of each. In wood shop we had to build a desktop organizer thingie.

 

I liked home ec much better and was annoyed that in the name of gender equality girls no longer took a full year of home ec & boys no longer took a full year of shop. As an adult, I understand the desire not to stereotype but I still think that home ec was way more useful for me personally.

[The Girls' Mom]

I had both shop and home ec.  

In shop we made spice racks.  I eventually removed the little dowels that held spices in, painted it and it is in one of the girls rooms right now as a small knick knack shelf.

In home ec we cooked a few things and sewed stuffed animals.

[Dmmetler]

We had 6 weeks of shop. I made a little metal box to hold notepaper and a tic-tac-toe game out of wood. Neither was particularly well made, and I ended up going home almost every day after class because the varnish, etc triggered headaches.

[LMD]

My school had a building with a metal work shop, wood work shop, robotics lab and artist studios. I made a box in metal work and learned to weld. Like Sadie, they were extra subjects in 7th/8th and that most didn't do after 9th.

 

My FIL is a panel beater and metal artist by trade and he has promised to take my kids on part time as teenagers to learn some of the trade.

[Lanny]

IMO the MOST important thing kids are missing today is Physical Education classes. I had those, 5 days a week, in Junior High School  and in High School. To get back to your thread topic, yes, in High School, I had a Wood Shop class. I made a Bookcase, from a sheet of plywood.  That was in CA, many years ago. It is in our house in Colombia.  If I made other things, I can't remember what they were.   I had a Metal shop class in Junior High School (7th or 8th grade) but if I made anything, I don't remember what it was.   

[UCF612]

If my school had them I didn't know anything about them.  Not sure I'd have been interested when I was in school but I'd love to know how to do things now!

 

My youngest son (he's 7) is trying to learn about building with wood.  He got a set of tools last Christmas and occasionally helps my husband with things in the garage.  They built a bird house together recently.  My little guy likes to work with his hands.  He's also learning how to sew and is begging to learn crochet so he can make Star Wars characters but I don't know how to do it to teach him.   I'd like to find a place to let him learn the woodwork and metal work for him when he's a little older.   

[Jean in Newcastle]

I had 3 full years of Home Ec - 7th, 8th and 9th grade.  We had to walk around with books on our head and sit with our legs tilted to one side for proper deportment.  And we had to sew a full dress suit by 9th grade.  And we cooked a full meal with appetizer, entree, two sides and dessert by the end of 9th grade. 

 

I don't remember what the boys had to do.  They had three years of wood shop.  And auto shop was offered too, I think. 

[Guest]

In 7th grade, EVERYONE had 6 weeks of wood shop, 6 weeks of metal shop, and 6 weeks of mechanical drawing.

 

(The other semester was home economics: 6 weeks of sewing, 6 weeks of cooking, and 6 weeks of family life.)

 

You could take full courses in any of these in the later years. Seventh grade was an introductory year only.

 

In wood shop we made a recipe holder (shape of a duck with a clothes pin as the beak). I don't remember what else we made, but I know there was more.

 

In metal shop we made a metal box. Again, I don't remember what else. (ETA: Sparkly just reminded me that I also made a napkin holder in this class. And I know there was one more project, but I can't remember what it was.)

 

If I remember any others, I'll edit.

Edited November 3, 2016 by Kinsa

[SparklyUnicorn]

I took Industrial Arts in 8th.  We did stuff with wood and plastic.  I made a napkin holder and memo holder out of wood.  I made pictures holders and a key chain out of plastic.

 

 

[SparklyUnicorn]

I had 3 full years of Home Ec - 7th, 8th and 9th grade.  We had to walk around with books on our head and sit with our legs tilted to one side for proper deportment.  And we had to sew a full dress suit by 9th grade.  And we cooked a full meal with appetizer, entree, two sides and dessert by the end of 9th grade. 

 

I don't remember what the boys had to do.  They had three years of wood shop.  And auto shop was offered too, I think. 

 

Wow, that's intense.  At the time I took Home Ec, the microwave was the hot gadget.  We learned how to make various things in the microwave (dumb).

 

No full meals though.  And we made a homemade pie crust (with canned filling).

[grantmeawish]

We had wood shop in middle school. I asked a sixth grader who attends local public school that I attended if they still had wood shop. He looked at me like I was crazy and politely said that must have been in the old days 😒. I'm not that old!

[SparklyUnicorn]

We had wood shop in middle school. I asked a sixth grader who attends local public school that I attended if they still had wood shop. He looked at me like I was crazy and politely said that must have been in the old days 😒. I'm not that old!

 

Ohh well that's kinda sad because I liked the class.

[JustEm]

Nope

[Lawana]

I was in jr. high when Title IX was passed. Previous to 8th grade, all boys and only boys took shop, and all girls and only girls took home ec. Is it weird that I still remember that Lily Liptak was the first (and only) girl to take shop the year I was in 8th grade? My sister who was a year younger than me took shop when she was in 9th grade. I stuck with home ec, and continued to take sewing classes throughout high school.

 

Starting in 8th grade, girls P.E and boys P.E. could no longer be designated as such. The teachers and counselors told us verbally which section number to register for so that we ended up in the correct spot. That seemed really dumb to me at the time.

[Jean in Newcastle]

Wow, that's intense.  At the time I took Home Ec, the microwave was the hot gadget.  We learned how to make various things in the microwave (dumb).

 

No full meals though.  And we made a homemade pie crust (with canned filling).

 

This was pre microwaves.  And pre CDs.  (So no CD holders in shop class.)

 

I forgot to say that in 9th grade Home Ec., we also had to do a budget so that we could manage our household finances. 

[Guest]

I'm glad ours weren't sex linked. I took both home economics and shop and enjoyed the latter much more :rofl:

 

You and me both.  I think we were the first class that had the opportunity to take either home-ec or shop or both.  

 

I think I could have liked home-ec with a more interesting teacher, and one who was connected to reality.  One simply does not make cinammon toast on a broiler pan in the oven.  LOL

[Arcadia]

We had wood shop in middle school. I asked a sixth grader who attends local public school that I attended if they still had wood shop. He looked at me like I was crazy and politely said that must have been in the old days 😒. I'm not that old!

The nearby high schools still have workshop room which is more likely used by the robotics team but the middle schools does not. My nearby K-8 school used to have wood work from 3rd grade weekly.

 

Some schools have makerspace but it is more laser wood cutting/engraving and soldering electronics than carpentry kind of woodwork.

[Matryoshka]

When I was in 7th grade, all girls had to take home ec, and all boys had to take shop (for both 7th and 8th, which were 'junior high').

 

When I entered 8th grade, they finally realized that was stupid, and both boys and girls took 1/2 year of home ec and 1/2 year of shop (for both 7th and 8th), unless they felt strongly otherwise.  One boy spent all of 8th in home ec because he didn't like the shop teacher.

 

I made a jewelry box.

 

I liked both shop and home ec.  It's a shame most schools don't seem to offer either anymore.

[wapiti]

My kids' charter has engineering classrooms that look a lot like shop classrooms with the addition of some computer stuff.  (The beginning engineering classes learn to do low-tech engineering sketches on graph paper.)  My middle schoolers have had instruction on using quite a few tools in there - saws, power drills, etc.  I couldn't begin to describe what the bigger machines do.  Last semester they built some sort of spring-powered car and a catapult, from sketches to final product.

 

Clubs like robotics and the Technology Student Association use these rooms after school to continue their work, with supervision.  I can't remember which club makes rocket stuff.

Edited November 3, 2016 by wapiti

[Sara in AZ]

I had shop and home ec in junior high. I remember using a jig saw to cut my name out of wood. My kids still have the stuffed animal I had to sew. My husband had to make a foot stool, wich was very dangerous and off balance. I eventually retired it after you many kids got hurt with it!

 

Neither of us have retained any useful shop related skills. I can see if I have to, but that is mostly because my mother is an excellent seamstress and taught me.

 

Neither of my older kids have any classes like these offered at their middle schools.

[Scarlett]

It has been so long I had to ask my best friend....she reminded me we had one semester of shop and one of home Ec in 8th grade. Then it came back to me. Our teacher smelled like booze all of the time. He got fired that year. But before he got fired we had a lot of fun. We had to put a chainsaw together and we had extra pieces so we threw them across the shop and still got an A. Good times.

[bettyandbob]

I had a semester of shop in 8th grade. During the first quarter we did wood and I made a spice rack. The second quarter was metal shop. I made a trivet with lots of pieces I curled and welded. Then the teacher though we should make these baskets out of similarly curled and welded metal. 

 

My dad liked my spice rack. My dad has his own fully equipped wood shop so this was praise. My mom didn't like style of it--she kept it a short period and then got rid of it. She used the trivet. 

 

 

[Arctic Bunny]

We had drafting, auto mechanics, home ec, and wordworking throughout the year of grade nine. In wood working I made a clock, which is still in my mom's dining room. In auto we took apart, and then put back together, a lawn mower engine. In home ec we sewed pants and made jelly and bread.

[meena]

All students at my school had to take one semester of shop class in 7th grade and another in 8th grade (the alternating semesters we had to take home economics). I wasn't very good at making things but thought it was cool to use the big tools like a table saw and drill press. The first thing we made was our own screwdriver--shaped the plastic handle then attached the metal part. I can't remember everything we made but I do remember doing a wall shelf and a toolbox. I think practical skills classes like this are wonderful and wish there were currently low-cost versions available for homeschoolers and adults in my area.

[kewb]

I think we had both but I took wood shop.  So long ago that I have no idea what I made.  Nothing impressive, that's for sure.  Although I did make a lucite ice scraper in one of my shop classes and my mother used it until she moved to Arizona.

[Julie Smith]

We had sheet metal shop in 8th grade and we made a house number sign and a tool box.  I just checked my Oma's house on google and the house number sign is still there.  My dad still has the tool box.  My mom still uses the   letter holder and lazy susan made my sisters in wood shop.    Are kids today missing out not learning about basic tools and the basics of measuring, cutting etc?  

 

My Dad has always been good at fixing stuff. But I found my shop class really nice since they taught you the proper way, it is one of the classes I remember fondly. 

 

Mind you, what I learned with / from my Dad is what I have used. But I enjoyed the shop class. 

[Arcadia]

I think practical skills classes like this are wonderful and wish there were currently low-cost versions available for homeschoolers and adults in my area.

My kids have not tried TechShop but I know people who liked the classes. They have a few locations.

http://www.techshop.ws/locations.html

[meena]

My kids have not tried TechShop but I know people who liked the classes. They have a few locations.

http://www.techshop.ws/locations.html

 

Very cool! It's not in my area (Florida) yet but maybe someday?

[heartlikealion]

I believe the choice was wood shop or choir? I was interested in both, but took choir. Ds took a woodworking class at co-op one semester. He was in second grade and they didn't have him work with too many items, but I think it was good exposure. Hammered some nails. Not sure what else they did. He brought home a little wooden box and a bird feeder. The week he was out I think they did something that looked like a turkey.

 

My sister did something with metal. She made a necklace. It was a giant peace sign lol.

[TrixieB]

I'm old enough that only boys got to take shop class.  Girls had to take Home Ec.  No exceptions. 

 

Boys and girls could take shop at my school.  Very few girls took the class, and the teacher let only the boys use all of the power tools.  We girls could use only some of the most basic ones such as the jigsaw.  I think we even had to use the hand drill rather than the power drill.

 

My school had wood shop; I don't remember if there was metal shop.  I made a flat wooden mouse shape, and a wood box.  Probably some other things, but I don't remember.  I still have the box.

 

Home ec was for girls only.  Boys could take "Bachelor Living" class in high school.

 

My brother's school had wood shop and metal shop.  He took both, and made some useful stuff -- metal candleholders, a wooden display rack for souvenir spoons (remember those?), and a metal trowel with a wooden handle which we used for picking up after the dog lol.

 

 

[Tanaqui]

One simply does not make cinnamon toast on a broiler pan in the oven.  LOL

 

Speak for yourself!

[Janeway]

Yes, and plastics. I loved it. We made cutting boards, key chains, other things too, I just can't remember what else.

[meena]

Home ec was for girls only.  Boys could take "Bachelor Living" class in high school.

 

Okay, I'm trying to imagine what they were taught in "Bachelor Living" that set it apart from Home Ec. How to most efficiently pile dirty dishes in a sink for maximum height and minimal damage? The optimal number of times to re-wear clothing before washing, including the good ole turn your socks inside out for a clean pair? How to cook courtesy of "A Man, A Can, A Plan" and Pizza Hut? Or is that just my DH's version of bachelor life when I'm away for a weekend?  :lol:

[Janeway]

Also, for us, home etc and industrial arts were both mandatory and not different by gender.

[Cinder]

I'm old enough that only boys got to take shop class.  Girls had to take Home Ec.  No exceptions. 

 

I'm old enough that we also had to take home ec + 2 years PE; boys had to take 2 years JROTC + 1 year PE. The year after I graduated high school they changed it so that everyone had to take 1 year PE + 2 years of any combo of PE/JROTC/home ec.

 

But that was high school. In intermediate school (7th-8th at my school) everyone had to take a semester of Industrial Arts in 8th grade. First project was wood--a small bookstand. We had to cut out our pieces, plane them, chisel out fitted pieces, sand ... can't remember if we used polyurethane on them but I'm thinking not. If you were good you could advance to making a small 3-legged table. Being mechanically declined I barely finished the bookstand before we moved on to leather--I think we could choose bracelets and/or keychains where we cut the leather and used dye punches to decorate them. Final project was plexiglass. We had to cut, shape, polish a piece. I think I made a pendant using 2 pieces glued together with colored glue.

 

That's all I remember of it. I'm still no good at builidng things but at least I tried. (BTW, I got a C in the class. :p )

[SKL]

I had wood shop for 9 weeks in the 8th grade.  I made a bookshelf.

[SKL]

We also all had to take home ec for 9 weeks.  Basics of cooking and other kitchen stuff, baby care and child development.  Most of it was ridiculously outdated.

[HSmomof2]

Yes, ours went by last name....A-L took home ec, the rest of us took shop. I wanted to take home ec, but ended up really liking shop and took a second year of it. We made fireplace pokers using a forge, and metal ice cream scoop, plastic projects, engraving, embossed leather wallets, and oak cutting boards. I still have and use many of the things I made in shop.

[Guest]

Okay, I'm trying to imagine what they were taught in "Bachelor Living" that set it apart from Home Ec. How to most efficiently pile dirty dishes in a sink for maximum height and minimal damage? The optimal number of times to re-wear clothing before washing, including the good ole turn your socks inside out for a clean pair? How to cook courtesy of "A Man, A Can, A Plan" and Pizza Hut? Or is that just my DH's version of bachelor life when I'm away for a weekend? :lol:

I laughed way too hard at this.

[kiwik]

I'm old enough that only boys got to take shop class. Girls had to take Home Ec. No exceptions.

We did it in forms one and two (grades 6 and 7). Girls did one term cooking, one term seeing and one term woodwork/leatherwork. Boys did two terms woodwork and one term cooking. At high school the choice was home economics or French for girls and wood/metalwork for boys. Kids still do it at the same age here but the options are wider and not sex linked.

 

As an aside the woodwork teacher was open about not wanting girls in his workshop as we were all "theives and liars" and some of tbe high scho shop teachers were openly sleazy.

 

Eta. For forms 1 and 2 it was mandatory for everyone in NZ and we were bussed to a facility at one of the bigger schools for 2 hours a week.

Edited November 3, 2016 by kiwik

[SparklyUnicorn]

This was pre microwaves.  And pre CDs.  (So no CD holders in shop class.)

 

I forgot to say that in 9th grade Home Ec., we also had to do a budget so that we could manage our household finances. 

 

Well that's a pretty good skill that they should teach (budgeting).  I honest don't think we were taught anything (everyday) useful in home ec.  I liked sewing so I took more sewing courses and made a dress and wool jacket.  I also took interior decorating which was kind of a fun artsy class.

[magnificent_baby]

Our district still has shop in high school. I know this because on my first day as a school nurse, a student severely cut his finger on a saw. They also offer cooking/home ec type classes, and I believe they still offer basic car maintenance. Not sure about sewing. 

 

In middle school I took home ec which included basic cooking and sewing. Can't recall the name of the class but I made a rubber wallet and leather crafts. Fun memories! 

[Rachel]

We had both in middle and high school. I made a small stool in high school. In middle school I took apart then rebuilt a small engine. I never took the wood shop in middle school but a couple of my siblings did and made jewelry boxes. In high school there was a welding class offered as an elective but the year I tried to sign up it conflicted with band.

[Rachel]

I do think kids are missing out on learning how to use tools (including pocket knives).

[Library Momma]

When I was in HS I took a general home ec class that included sewing and cooking.  Wood shop existed but I chose other electives instead including typing, guitar, chorus and probably a few others that I can't remember. All  I really took away from it was learning how to make meringue.

 

My dds high school today has far more electives than I could have ever dreamed of including things like fiber arts, child development, baking, video game design, career exploration, etc.

 

Most kids interested in a trade would be a one of the local vocational schools (then and now) so you normally don't see things like metal work, automotive  or cosmetology at a regular public school.

 

Kids today also have to take phys ed.  I've never heard of a school that doesn't require it.  The high school here requires two full years of regular phys ed for graduation and then students can also take phys ed electives like unified sports or lifeguard certification.