Grade 3 Begins their Peck Woodworking Journey

Starting in Grade 3, Peck students step into the world of woodworking, where they learn woodshop safety and to master hand tools and small power tools, while building skills that go beyond the woodshop. These hands-on projects often tie into broader academic themes, such as crafting folk toys to deepen their understanding of regional history. With a focus on real-world applications, the woodshop encourages students to blend creativity and problem-solving to create tangible solutions.

Third-grade woodworking class sets a foundation for kids as they take woodworking all the way through eighth grade. Projects get more complex as time goes on, from marble mazes to ancient board game replicas to functional clocks that represent students’ hobbies or interests.

“Daily hands-on experiences ensure that students learn by doing. Students develop countless skills while working with wood, but the tangible end result can't be overlooked; students derive great satisfaction from their efforts and a sense of pride in their accomplishments,” says Woodworking Teacher Mark Mortensen.

Students go on from third grade and take woodworking through seventh grade, bringing a variety of projects to life—and exercising their spatial, linear, and sequential thinking. Each project challenges them to use different "brain muscles," promoting growth in ways traditional classroom work can't always achieve.

While projects are assigned, there’s always room for personal flair. Students are encouraged to infuse their creations with their own style and think outside the box, making each piece uniquely their own. In the woodshop, creativity and craftsmanship go hand in hand, sparking a passion for building that students carry with them far beyond the classroom.