Construction Studies

Brief Outline of subject at Junior Cycle

Wood Technology is one of the technology subjects offered at Junior Cycle. In Wood Technology students will explore the natural and made world through the medium of design, seeking out opportunities to creatively and innovatively apply the material/resource in making and shaping their environment. The sustainable use of and management of this natural resource is important as the world faces the challenges of the 21st century. You will learn to design small projects and the skills required to use tools and equipment to make your designs. You will work mainly with wood but also with other materials. You will learn about wood as a material and how it is produced. What will I learn in Wood Technology? Some of the things you will learn include:

• how to design a project given a brief description of what you are to make
• how to use the internet for research purposes
• how to use freehand sketching to communicate your ideas
• how to prepare a design drawing/plan of a project you design
• how to read design drawings and make small projects from these drawings
• how to safely use a range of hand and power tools in producing your design. How will I learn Wood Technology in school? Some of the things you may do with your teacher and your classmates are:
• examine trees, their leaves and seeds and be able to recognise their varying characteristics
• investigate how trees affect the environment around us
• learn to sketch freehand
• learn how to problem solve and use a design process to design projects
• develop your craft skills to allow you to make projects
• prepare a design folder to accompany your project. How is Wood Technology assessed? Wood Technology is assessed at a common level. On completion of the Classroom-Based Assessments, students undertake a project. The project is completed after the second CBA in third year. The brief for the project is set and marked by the State Examinations Commission (SEC). The project accounts for 70% of the final SEC grade with the 90 minute common level written exam accounting for the other 30%. Will Wood Technology have anything to do with other subjects I will be studying? Yes. Wood Technology will be useful to you in the study of any of the other three technology subjects, Graphics, Engineering and Applied Technology. Many of the skills involved in this subject are also used in the other subjects. Wood Technology is also related to some of the topics covered in Science and Art, Craft and Design. Will Wood Technology be very different after the Junior Cycle? Wood Technology develops into Construction Studies in senior cycle. In this subject:
• the emphasis is on the principles behind building and construction
• there is a large amount of practical work involved in the course
• drawing skills learned in Junior Cycle Wood Technology will be further developed. How will Wood Technology be useful to me?
• You will know the correct procedures to follow when developing an idea into a finished artefact e.g. a piece of furniture or a child’s toy etc.
• You will be able to identify different trees, recognise their importance to us and our environment
• You will also have the skills to make objects from wood and know how to apply appropriate finishes to them, for example paint, varnish, stain or polish.

Brief Outline of subject at Senior Cycle

Construction Studies Home/Departments/Construction Studies Subject Overview Construction Studies is the study of the construction of buildings and why they are made the way they are. The main focus of the course is on the domestic house but it also ranges from the construction of sports arenas to skyscrapers. It is a practical course in which the student is given the opportunity to achieve 50% of their Leaving Certificate exam result during their Leaving Certificate year in a project and a practical exam. The other 50% is assessed in a written exam during the normal Leaving Certificate exams. What will you study in class?

• How sound, light and heat effect the design of buildings
• How to install electricity and plumb your home
• How to build an extension
• Calculate a U-value
• How to buy your own house
• How to get planning permission
• How to survey a piece of land for construction
• How to convert your attic Exams: There are three assessments in the Leaving Certificate exam: Task % Time Example Project 25% May A study of Earthquake Buildings Practical 25% May Materials – cutting, shaping and making a product using wood Written Exam 50% June Answer 5 out of 10 questions

The subject at Transition Year

1. Title of Subject or Module Introduction to craft Design
2. Duration of Module One class for 30 weeks Term 1 10 week module Model Making Digger Term 2 10 week module Design Lamp Term 3 10 week module Garden projects
3. Aims To liase with Tidy Towns/mens sheds and manufacture wooden projects which help nature in our town . To understand the way bird boxes are made . Be able to make a woodwork model Understand the facets in lamp design

Careers

Construction Studies may be valuable in a variety of careers, which might include:

• All Engineering Areas of the Construction Industry
• Interior Design
• Architecture
• Building Services
• Quantity Surveyor
• Town Planning
• Teaching Property Development