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Day 3: Designing Metalworks + Job References

Lesson Overview
Time 50 minutes
Objectives Complete the H&L "Designing Metalworks" welder activity (sketch + metal choice + weld choice); complete the "Job References" activity by listing 3 personal references
TEKS d(1)(C), d(7)(D)
Deliverable Bike rack sketch with labeled welds (Ch 14, p. 238) + 3-reference list (Ch 14, p. 235)
Materials H&L Workbook Ch 14 (pp. 234-238), Chromebooks, plain paper, pencils, projector

Warm-Up (5 min)

WARM-UP: How many bikes are in the bike rack at the front of our school? If a school district ordered 100 brand new bike racks, who would design them, who would build them, and what would they be made of?

Quick share. Bridge: "Today YOU are the welder who has to make 100 of those bike racks. The H&L workbook gives you the order, and you have to make every design choice."

Activity 1: H&L "Designing Metalworks" Activity (28 min)

Source: H&L Workbook Ch 14, pp. 236-238, "Designing Metalworks" (Career Climb activity)

Open the workbook to page 236. Read the scenario together: students are the expert welder at SuperSports Manufacturing. The local school district just ordered 100 custom bike racks for all of their schools. It is the student's job to design and build a durable, functional, weather-resistant bike rack.

Step 1: Design Your Bike Rack (10 min). Students sketch their bike rack on paper or in the workbook (p. 236). The workbook spec says it must be:

  • Strong enough to hold multiple bikes without bending
  • Durable in all kinds of weather
  • Space-efficient enough to fit near sidewalks

The workbook tells students NOT to worry about materials yet. Focus on the design first. Students draw a top view (how it looks from above) and a side view (how it looks from the side).

Step 2: Choose Your Metal (5 min). Students review the workbook's metal table (Ch 14, p. 237) and circle ONE choice:

Metal Pros Cons
Aluminum Lightweight, doesn't rust Bends and dents easily
Stainless Steel Very strong, doesn't rust Heavy to move and shows imperfections
Carbon Steel Very strong, affordable Can rust if not coated, prone to chipping

Students write 1-2 sentences explaining their metal choice.

Step 3: Choose Your Welding Method (5 min). Students review the welding methods table (Ch 14, p. 238):

Welding Method Best For
Spot Weld Connecting small points in thin metal
Fillet Weld Joining metal pieces at an angle (like an "L" shape)
Surfacing Weld Filling holes in metal
Corner Weld Forming angles on the outside base for support

Students circle the welding method(s) they will use and write WHY they chose it in the workbook box (p. 238).

Step 4: Label Your Welds (5 min). Students go back to their sketch and clearly label where each weld will go and which method they will use (e.g., "Fillet Weld here at corner").

Extra Time? The workbook offers an enhancement: add custom features that make the bike rack stand out (locks, branding, lighting, color).

Facilitation Tip

Most students will pick aluminum because it is "lightweight." Push them: "If a 60-pound bike falls on it 10 times a day, will aluminum hold up better than carbon steel? Why?" This forces real engineering tradeoff thinking. There is no single right answer; there are good reasons for any of the three metals.

DOK 3: What conclusions can you draw about why a welder needs to understand BOTH the design AND the materials AND the welding methods? Why can't you just pick whatever metal is cheapest?

Activity 2: H&L "Job References" — Building a References List (12 min)

Source: H&L Workbook Ch 14, pp. 234-235, "Job References"

Open the workbook to page 234. Read the introduction together: a job reference is someone who can talk about your skills, work ethic, and personality to a future employer. The workbook explains that good references know you well, can talk about your strengths, and will give an honest and positive review.

Walk through the workbook's 5 steps for choosing references (Ch 14, p. 234):

  1. Choose people who know your work ethic: teachers, coaches, mentors, volunteer coordinators, former employers (NOT friends or family members).
  2. Ask for permission before listing them.
  3. Collect their contact information (name, job title, relationship, phone, email).
  4. Keep it professional: neatly formatted like a resume.
  5. Stay in touch: keep references updated and thank them.

Student task (workbook, p. 235): Students list 3 potential references in their workbook. For each, they write:

  • Name
  • Job Title
  • Relationship to you (teacher, coach, mentor)
  • Why you think they would be a good reference

Tell students: these are HYPOTHETICAL. They are not asking these people today. The point is to think about who in their life could vouch for them as a hard worker.

After 8 minutes, lead a brief discussion using the workbook prompt (Ch 14, p. 235): What makes a good reference? Why are references important in the hiring process?

Facilitation Tip

Many 7th graders default to "my best friend's mom" as a reference. Stop and re-read the workbook rule: "Friends and family members usually don't count!" Push students to think of TEACHERS (current and past) and any adult who has supervised them in a paid or volunteer setting (church youth group leader, soccer coach, scout leader).

Exit Ticket (5 min)

EXIT TICKET (Ranked Justification) · Printable PDF:

Imagine a 12th-grader applying for a welding apprenticeship next year. They are choosing references from this list. Rank them from STRONGEST reference (1) to WEAKEST (4) using the 5 H&L rules for picking references.

  • Their best friend from English class: rank ____
  • Their math teacher from 8th grade who supervised their robotics club: rank ____
  • Their soccer coach of 3 years: rank ____
  • Their mom, who also works at a welding shop: rank ____

For each rank, name ONE H&L rule from today (knows your work ethic, not friends/family, has permission, professional contact, supervised you):

  • Rank 1 (strongest): _____________

  • Rank 4 (weakest): _____________

(d(1)(C), d(7)(D))

Differentiation

  • Support: Provide a pre-drawn bike rack template students can label and modify rather than sketching from scratch. For References, provide a sentence stem: "I chose _ because they know I am ___."
  • Extension: Students who finish the bike rack early sketch a custom feature (built-in lock, lighted reflectors, weatherproof cover) and explain how it would be welded.
  • ELL: Bilingual welding vocabulary: Soldar = To Weld, Aluminio = Aluminum, Acero inoxidable = Stainless Steel, Acero al carbono = Carbon Steel. Allow students to label their bike rack diagram in Spanish.