Canoe Build
The Canoe Build Program is a school day project with a curriculum tailored to meet the needs of middle school students and their teachers from area schools. The program appeals to educators because many of the skills and competencies developed here have been lost in the standard curriculum, which began in the 1980s with the elimination of Industrial Arts classes in public schools.
Canoe Build is a unique blending of academic enrichment and relationship building among students and teachers. Each participating class joins PWBF educators in the shop for three hours each week for 19 weeks. Students team with their classmates in small groups of between three and six students to build 15-foot wooden canoes, starting with little more than plans, a pencil, and an eraser.
The program engages students in a challenging woodworking project that requires attention to detail and perseverance to see the job through to completion. Boatbuilding enables students to move beyond the abstract and often contrived world of the classroom as it helps them make meaningful connections between their efforts in the shop and life at school. An important programming aspect for the educators is the inspiring and collaborative “beyond the classroom” atmosphere that helps to build trust among students and teachers.
At a Glance
-
DurationNineteen WeeksFrequency2.5 hours per week per schoolObjectiveImproved academic outcomes and relationhip building between student and teachersProgram hours per student47.5 (2011/2012)Start DateOngoingSynopsisSchool day industrial arts program