Materials Technology Wood (MTW) is one of the technology subjects offered at Junior Cycle. In MTW 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.
Students can learn many practical skills that can prove useful for later in life. They will learn 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. They will be able to identify different trees, recognise their importance to us and our environment and they will learn some of the skills to make objects from wood and know how to apply appropriate finishes to them, e.g. paint, varnish, stain or polish.
The specification for Junior Cycle Wood Technology focuses on three interconnected strands: Principles and practices, Design thinking and Wood science and materials.
Four elements are used throughout each strand, these are: Planning and managing, Communicating, Creating and Environment and Sustainability.
| Number of hours over 3 years | Final Exam | Classroom-Based Assessments (CBAs) | Assessments Task |
| 200 hrs minimum |
1hour 30min paper Taken at Common level
|
Two CBAs to be taken over 2nd & 3rd year CBA 1- Wood Science in Our EnvironmentCBA 2- Student Self-Analysis and Evaluation |
Students complete a project set by the SEC after CBA 2 in 3rd Year. Worth 70% of overall grade |
These subjects are 'hands-on' and involve working with tools and machinery on physical things like wood, metals and plastic. They may involve designing, planning and building things.
This subject builds skills and knowledge that are particularly useful for careers in the following Career Sectors: