Teachers' Information for Wood

Here are some suggestions for wood related discussions and practical activities:

Activity 1: Have a go at Marquetry

Design a simple picture or a pattern (with closed shapes). Transfer the design onto various different-coloured pieces of card. Cut out the designs from each sheet and try to piece together the design, using parts from the range of different colours. Glue the assembled pieces onto a separate piece of card.

Activity 2: Marquetry Through Time

Research different marquetry techniques and see how the technique has developed over time. Compare modern laser-created marquetry with older techniques and think about the length of time it takes to create a piece of marquetry, the skills needed by marqueteurs and the effect of the finished product.

Activity 3: Lacquer Everywhere

Think about the opening of trade routes between Europe and Asia. Research the use of lacquer in furniture decoration and how this technique from China and Japan became popular and copied in Europe. How did lacquered furniture come into Europe and why was it popular? How good were substitutes such as lac, as seen on the tea caddy?

Activity 4: Wooded Investigations

Learn about different kinds of wood. Allocate different types of wood to groups or pairs of pupils. Ask them to find out about their allocated wood. Where does it grow best? What is its grain like? What is it normally used for? Pupils could create a class table that describes different kinds of wood and includes images that show the grain and colour of the wood.