for her Democracy Rocks Project, Mrs. Turner had her government students present their research of democracy in a way that let them express themselves creatively.
This group of seniors chose to build a voting box to accompany their presentation. Doing so allowed them to learn and explore art and woodwork along with history and government.
Research gave context for how to best symbolize their thoughts on democracy, and they designed a vision for their physical product.
Students used their vision board to present their ideas to Coach Halas, who produced a 3D model of how the project could come together. The students used that model to make more specific decisions, then do the math for how it would all fit together. They had to use a method that would fit their time budget and what materials were readily available to them (in this case, 1/4" plywood squares & 1 1/2" pine boards.
Next, students made measurements and marks, and learn how to cut the materials to size using a miter saw and table saw. They also used the table saw dado stack to cut groves and dados to hold the pannels. They cut and engraved some decorative elements using the Glowforge Laser Cutter.
Students used pocket hole joinery to assemble the box with a power drill, and sanded it with a power sander. They finished some parts with spray paint and brush paint, but most of the box was finished with spray lacquer. They finished assembly by learning how to install hinges.