Tag: Project

Construction Projects 2020

Today was a strange day in school. Taking a trip through the construction room was like scenes more commonly seen in a documentary. It was clear the room was abandoned with the intention to return. Tools, paint brushes and varnishes left on tables ready for the next days work.

On Thursday 12th March like many we were taken by surprise, the schools closed a week earlier then we had guessed. Nobody ever expected that was the last day of school for the class of 2020, we thought we’d back back after Easter or worst case the May bank holiday. Foot and Mouth, SARS, H1N1, Swine flu, all passed through in recent years and we all kept working. Confident we would be back the Construction class left the projects with a few small touches left to do before the final exams.

Every year at this time we post our projects for all to see, and this year will be no different. Keep in mind when you look at the projects, some are finished, some are almost there. The odd coat of varnish is needed, maybe a hinge or a clock, the cushions are mocked up but the sense of where we were going is clear.

Best of luck to the class of 2020, don’t be shy call in and say hello, our door will open again.

Junior Cert Wood Projects 2016

Junior Certificate Woodwork 2016 Projects

Below are the projects submitted by this years woodwork classes for the State Examinations.

Students had to pick one of the following design briefs and submit a project they felt answered the brief

Coursework – Design and Realisation

Design Briefs – Ordinary Level
1. Design and make a decorative mirror for a child’s room.

The mirror unit should be designed to be wall mounted and must incorporate a theme from a storybook or animated film. The mirror unit should be safe in use, compact and well made. Any templates used should be included in your design folio.

2. Design and make a decorative artefact to celebrate the 2016 Summer Olympic Games.

The artefact should be attractive, compact and well made. It may be wall-mounted or suitable for display on a shelf and should represent a specific aspect of this international sporting event.

3. Design and make an attractive organiser for sketching and colouring equipment.

The artefact should be designed to organise and store a variety of pencils, A4 paper and other relevant materials. The organiser should be well made and appropriately finished. The maximum dimension must not exceed 400mm.

Design Briefs – Higher Level

1. Storage spaces in the home are sometimes located at a high level and are not easily accessed.

Design and make a freestanding artefact which will enable an adult to reach such locations safely. Your artefact should be made from solid wood, with jointing techniques chosen to provide strength and stability. The unit should be designed to be portable and should incorporate an innovative secondary function. The maximum base footprint of the unit must not exceed 500mm.

2. Marking significant historical events is an important element of cultural identity for nations across the globe.

Design and make an artefact commemorating a significant historical event of your choice. The artefact should be elegant in appearance, be enhanced by the use of native Irish hardwoods and should incorporate a range of handcraft skills. Your design should be inspiring and encourage reflection on cultural values. The artefact should be suitable for display on a mantelpiece or shelf.

3. Young people take great pride in their appearance, presentation and image.

Design and make an elegant artefact which will neatly store and display a selection of personal grooming items. The artefact should be compact and designed to rest on a table top. Your design should be inspired by naturally occurring shapes and forms and should accentuate the beauty of skilfully crafted solid wood. The maximum dimension must not exceed 350mm.

Junior Certificate Woodwork Projects

Junior Certificate Woodwork 2015 Projects

Below are the projects submitted by this years woodwork classes for the State Examinations.

Students had to pick one of the following design briefs and submit a project they felt answered the brief

Design Briefs – Ordinary Level
1. Design and make a compact desktop lamp for use by a young person in their personal space. The design should be enhanced by the use of native solid wood and should incorporate a facility to hold a mobile phone. All electrical connections and fittings should be included and must comply with current safety standards.

2. Design and make a decorative spice rack to enhance the kitchen area. The artefact should be crafted from solid woods and should be designed to display the spices in an attractive manner. Your design should incorporate a culinary theme.

3. Design and make a decorative artefact to promote a sporting activity in your school or community. The artefact should be attractive and well made. It may be wall-mounted or suitable for display on a shelf and should represent a central aspect of your chosen sport.

Design Briefs – Higher Level

1. At mealtimes the table can be cluttered and short of space. Design and make a portable and compact artefact to aid in the utilisation of space at mealtimes. Your solution should hold everyday mealtime items and make them easily accessible to those dining. Your artefact should incorporate design elements that contribute to an elegant centrepiece.

2. The transition from winter to spring is one of great change, renewal and hope. Design and make a decorative artefact which symbolises these themes. The design and realisation of your artefact should demonstrate a range of handcraft skills. The artefact should be suitable for display on a shelf or mantelpiece.

3. An elegant wooden feature can be functional whilst enhancing an entrance hallway. Design and make an attractive wall mounted artefact to hold three coats. It should also incorporate a storage facility for some additional small items. The handcrafted artefact should be slimline and should evoke a theme of your choice. Your design folio should show evidence of how your theme was developed.

Eyes Opened to Cruelty to Animals

Hazelwood College’s Eyes Opened to Cruelty to Animals

Hazelwood College 3D CSPE trip to the Donkey Sanctuary in Liscarroll

Do you know your mule from your jennet? Well, the place to find out is the Donkey Sanctuary in Liscarroll which our 3rd year class from Hazelwood College visited recently as part of our CSPE Action Project to raise awareness of Animal Welfare.

Upon our arrival, we were greeted by a volunteer who gave us a brief history of the sanctuary and some facts about it. More than 4,000 donkeys have been rescued since the sanctuary was set up and hundreds of donkeys are currently being cared for in Liscarroll, with 500 more on a waiting list for a place. 280 donkeys were rescued this year alone. On the same week that we visited there was a case of 24 donkeys left in a forest in Kildare. If the sanctuary hadn’t found them they would have died.

Some people buy pet donkeys thinking of them as glorified lawnmowers, not realising that they have an average life span of 50 years. Their situation is rather similar to that of puppies bought around Christmas time, people get them as cute babies and give them love and affection until they grow older and lose their cuteness, at which point the mistreatment begins. The mistreatment can vary from not cleaning out their stable as often as it should be done to not feeding them or, in worse cases, beating them. The number of mistreated or abandoned donkeys has steadily risen over the past few years due mainly to the recession. They are expensive to keep and are now viewed by many as an unaffordable luxury. There used to be grants for farmers that owned donkeys, which made it beneficial to own them and give them good living conditions but that grant was removed recently.

The level of care that the volunteers give the donkeys at the Donkey Sanctuary is amazing. They clean out all the stables twice a day and give them plenty of straw, hay and water. The volunteers seem to really care about the donkeys, which is heart-warming. It was a delight to be able to see these calm, relaxed donkeys grazing in the huge fields of lush green grass. It’s almost like a holiday resort for donkeys. And another thing they told us there is that a mule is the offspring of a female horse and a male donkey, while a jennet is the foal of a female donkey and a male horse.