Classroom Tool Set Your new Classroom Tool Set contains the basic tools you need to become familiar with woodworking and confidently teach the basic skills. There is an exciting sense of accomplishment that comes from creating an object. Whether the children are very young and just into the process or older and into the resulting product, great satisfaction comes from learning these skills. Before introducing these tools, we suggest you read this guide to familiarize yourself with their proper and safe use. Introduce the tools one at a time. Discuss what the tool can be used for, and then demonstrate its proper use. What s Included 2 hammers Hand drill Backsaw Miter box Package of sandpaper 1 pound of preschool nails 1 set of drill bits 2 C-clamps Bottle of wood glue The Benefits of Woodworking Using adult tools allows children to feel grown-up and accept responsibility. Children learn to work together as they share tools and help each other work more efficiently. They also learn to be aware of one another and take care not to hurt anyone. With each swing of the hammer, children improve visual and motor coordination while they learn to hit the nail accurately. As they saw 2009 Lakeshore LC1065 (800) 428-4414 Ages 4+ www.lakeshorelearning.com
through a block of wood, rhythm is fine-tuned. With each step of a woodworking project, children learn to plan and see the benefits of a good plan or the results of a poor one. They learn to solve a problem, revise a plan, and improvise. Other Materials You May Want to Add Snug-fitting goggles for children when hammering, sawing, and drilling: For your convenience, Lakeshore sells child-sized goggles. 2" carpet swatches or pieces of foam to protect worktables from the C-clamps, saw, and drill. Cardboard is not as effective but can be used. Soundboard, available at home supply stores, can be nailed on top of your workstation to help absorb noise. Scrap wood for practice: The best woods are softer ones that don t tend to splinter, such as pine and fir. Ask your local lumberyard to recommend a soft, safe wood. They will usually be happy to give their odd pieces to you for free or very inexpensively. Tape measures or rulers Pliers or nippers to remove bent nails Magnet wands to pick up nails quickly Pencils Masking tape and duct tape Miscellaneous materials for decorating finished projects (shells, buttons, yarn, paint, etc.) The Work Area Set up the work area based on the children s developmental levels and individual needs. While an actual child-sized workbench is ideal, a work area can simply consist of a few sturdy tables in a project area. The tables should be no more than 24" high for preschool and elementary children. You might clamp plywood over the tables to protect them. Give each child plenty of space. It is best to put children at opposite ends of a table. Mark a stand back line a few feet around each table. When an arm is pulled back to saw, there must be elbow room and room for the blade to move. Likewise, a child may not have complete control when the hammer is on the upswing. It could be dangerous for anyone standing too close. Keep supplies organized and accessible in bins. Place a few nails in a plastic container in the center of the work area. 2
Tool Storage Separate tools and hang them, if possible. A pegboard with the tools outlines works best. The pegboard can be temporarily hung in the tool area. To retain a saw s sharpness, store it so it is not touching other metal. Why Woodworking? The philosophy behind this area is to allow the children to work on their own and to provide an injury-free experience. Provide assistance, preferably verbally, only at a child s request or when necessary for safety. After demonstrating the proper use of the tools and equipment, allow the children to decide what to do, plan the steps, and work accordingly. As an alternative to direct assistance, ask open-ended questions. Teacher s Guidelines Always keep this area supervised. Limit the number of children working with tools at the same time. We suggest 2-4 per supervisor. Others can be planning, sanding, or decorating. Locate the woodworking area out of the way from passersby but not in an isolated area. Give each child as much room to work as possible. Keep the area free of clutter. Only work tools should be in the area. Glue and paint should be elsewhere. Instill a sense of care and caution in the children. Enforce the safety rules; let the children know that you will not allow any child who is not being careful to continue to work in the area. Disagreements should be settled outside of the work area. Store tools properly. Keep them clean and in proper working order. 3
Teacher s Safety Check Before letting the children work with tools, do a quick check to make sure they are in good working order and safe to use. Hammer The head should be on securely. If it is loose, replace it rather than risk having it fly off. If the face or flat end of the hammer is chipped, discard it. Check for splinters on the handle. Saw Check to see that the handle is on securely. If it is attached with bolts, you may be able to tighten them. If not, replace the handle when it is no longer secure. Keep it dry and free of rust. Drill Dull drill bits are less safe than sharp ones. If the bit is noticeably dull or has been dropped on the floor several times, replace it. Make sure the gears work smoothly and the chuck tightens well enough to hold the bit firmly. Suggested Classroom Rules Do not remove tools from this area. Do not play with tools. Return tools to storage when not in use. Only tools in use may be in the work area. Wear closed shoes in the woodworking area. Always wear eye protection when hammering, sawing, or drilling. Carry saws with teeth and tip pointed downward, like scissors. Carry drills with the bit pointed downward. Never hold a nail or tool in your mouth. Never ask anyone to hold a nail or wood for you. Do not remove unfinished projects from the area. Finished projects must be sanded, solid, and safe, with no projecting nail points. Sweep the work area when done and properly dispose of all bent nails and scraps. Failure to follow any of these rules means an end to participation. 4
Tool Usage Sandpaper Children will have an easier time sanding with sanding blocks than with a plain sheet of sandpaper. To make a sanding block, find a rectangular piece of scrap wood that fits nicely in a child s hand and wrap sandpaper around it, coarse side outward, so one side of the block is covered. Use duct tape to hold the sandpaper in place. To sand, hold the wood firmly with one hand, the sanding block in the other. Gently rub back and forth with the grain (the direction of the lines in the wood). To decide whether it is smooth enough, have the children close their eyes and use their sense of touch. Be careful not to create valleys by over-sanding one section. The sandpaper we provide in this kit is a medium grade and is best for most children s work. Wood Glue The glue provided in this kit is formulated specifically for wood. It is a heavy-duty, fast-drying glue without harmful fumes. While it washes off hands and tools with warm water, it does not wash out of clothing. You might want to have children wear smocks while working with wood glue. Before gluing, make sure the wood surfaces are clean and dry. To use, deposit a small amount of glue on one or both surfaces, spread evenly, and then press the second piece of wood in place. Hold until it feels firm. Let dry overnight for best results. 5
The Hammer This hammer is the proper weight for young children. To help them resist choking it (holding it too close to the head), wrap tape 2"- 3" from the end of the handle and instruct the children to hold the hammer there. Tell them to keep their eyes on the head of the nail. The main force should come from the wrist, not the entire arm. The elbow should move and bend but still be relaxed. To get started, children can hold the nail with one hand and tap it gently. When it stands by itself, make sure they move their hands away, and then encourage them to hit it harder. Alternately, they can place a piece of paper on the spot, pierce the paper with the nail to help steady it, and remove the paper when steady. Do not allow children to hold nails for each other. In some cases, you may want to start the nail for the children or provide boards with holes from nails that have been removed. What Size Nail? It is easier to start children with short nails that have large heads, such as the ones provided. A nail should be the right length to do the job. If it s longer than the thickness of the pieces to be joined, the nail will stick out. If it s too short, it won t grab the bottom piece. Teach the children to put the pieces together, hold the nail next to them, and see if it goes halfway into the bottom piece. If it does, it will work. When using nails just for practice, use the shortest nails and only one piece of wood. Removing Nails Beginners tend to bend nails by failing to hit the head squarely. We suggest you remove bent nails for them, as they can ricochet if pulled too quickly. To remove, place the top of the hammer head against the wood or an extra block of wood for leverage, slide the claw under the head, and gently pull the handle away from the nail, pulling the nail out as you do. Be sure to wear eye protection. You may need nippers or pliers to remove bent nails sunk into the wood. 6
C-Clamp Loosen the clamp so that the blue clamp pads are not touching. Then, squeeze and hold the quickrelease buttons to release the screw. Position the clamp so that the opening is larger than the item you wish to clamp. Slide the clamp over the surfaces, position it, and then tighten firmly. The Miter Box and Backsaw A miter box holds wood in place and provides grooves to cut the wood straight or on a 45 angle. Look closely at the bottom of it and notice that one side is extended. This lip rests just off the table, while the miter box sits on the table s edge. Show the children how laying the wood in different positions allows different cuts, angled through either the wider part of the wood or the narrower part. Allow them to figure out the best position for their cut. When the wood is in place, open a C-clamp and slide it over the top of the wood and under the tabletop. The miter box has two spaces, like valleys, in the side along the edge of the table. This is where the clamp fits. Tighten the clamp to hold the wood and the miter box in place. Use the rectangular saw, or backsaw, which is made to fit into the miter box grooves. It is called a backsaw because of the strong metal back along its top edge. Lightly move the saw back and forth over the wood until the cut is completed. 7
The Hand Drill with Eight Bits Always clamp wood in place before drilling. We provide the C-clamps for this purpose. Line the wood along the edge of the table, place the clamp around the wood and tabletop, and then tighten. You might want to place a drilling board between the table and wood. This piece of scrap wood will protect the table when the drill goes through the wood. Choose the right sized bit for the job. We provide various widths. Holding the gear tight with one hand, use the other to turn the chuck counterclockwise and open the jaws. Put the bit in place between the jaws, hold it straight, and turn the chuck clockwise until the jaws grip the bit firmly. It is easier to drill when the hole is started with a hammer and nail. You might want to do this for the children. Then, position the tip of the bit where the hole is to be drilled, holding the drill perfectly vertical. Hold the top handle with the left hand and turn the gear clockwise (away from the body) with the right. (A left-handed person will be pulling the gear handle toward the body instead.) Encourage the children to apply a bit of pressure to help the bit cut through the wood, but remind them to stop once they get through it. Suggested Activities Visit a lumberyard. Visit a location where a small construction job, such as a garage remodeling, is being done. Take a tour through a furniture factory. Ask a carpenter to visit the class and demonstrate tool use. Visit a high school or college wood shop. Other Resources Woodworking for Kids, by Kevin McGuire Carpentry for Children, by Lester Walker