To realize our Vision we encourage students to strive to reach their potential. To do so, they must understand the relevance of what they learn in the classroom. Industrial Arts and Human Ecology programming provides settings for students to develop and practice skills for daily living, while integrating knowledge from other subject areas.

The Practical Arts program ensures that students graduate with the skills necessary in their personal lives, and the ability to pursue fulfilling careers. Allowing students to experience a combination of Human Ecology and Industrial Arts affords them substantial hands-on learning and valuable life-long skills.

Industrial Arts and Technology

Industrial Arts education teaches practical skills with a focus on design process, problem solving, technological literacy, safe work practices and teamwork. Students are required to use tools, materials, and technological processes to research, plan, build and test projects in specific disciplines. It also prepares students for real-life situations at home and at work.

Human Ecology

Human Ecology curricula includes Foods and Nutrition, Family Studies and Textile Arts and Design. This programming prepares students for independent living and focuses on improving quality of life. Students develop skills and perform tasks related to these concepts by designing, visualizing, planning, researching, experimenting and problem solving. The program increases awareness about potential careers in health and nutrition, fashion and design, culinary arts and early childhood education.

Scheduling

Grade 7 and 8 students will experience 1/4 year terms in the following Human Ecology courses in both grade 7 & 8:

• Nutrition & Foods
• Textile Arts and Design

and the following Industrial Arts Courses over grades 7 & 8:

• Graphic Communications
• Manufacturing – Metalwork
• Manufacturing – Woodwork
• Introduction to Practical Engineering and Technology

All Practical Arts classes for Grades 7 & 8 students run for a half-day (157 minutes) once per six-day cycle – the same half day all school year.

Course Descriptions

Textile Arts and Design 

This course gives students the information they need to understand terminology and demonstrate safe and correct use of materials and equipment, and to relate the selection of clothing to one's personal image. They develop and display knowledge and skills of construction techniques through practical applications such as: :

• Machine and hand wewing
• Serging and computerized embroidery design
• Project management and completion
• Pattern layout and instruction sheets
• Seam treatments and finishes
• Choosing fabric and notions

The care of textile products is explored and explained to assist them in making informed consumer choices by understanding the following:

• Care labelling
• Laundry skills
• Mending
• Inspecting Quality Construction

Nutrition and Foods 

Students will learn the basic nutrition facts and gain an understanding of the relationship between nutrition and the needs of an individual. The effects of ingredients in food products and how they can be used in recipes is discussed. Some topics covered in these classes include:

• Reading recipes and product labels
• Healthy breakfasts, lunch and snacks
• Measuring procedures
• Kitchen tools, equipment and terminology
• Canada's Food Guide
• Nutrients, functions and sources
• Meal planning and consumerism
• Safety and hygiene
• Kitchen and time management

Graphic Communications 

This course provides students with various experiences with Graphic processes including:

• Drafting and layout of a portfolio project
• Graphic design
• Using computer as a design and production tool
• Screen printing
• Photography
• Computer manipulations
• 3D Printing

Students will manage and communicate ideas and design skills. Independently and as team members they will also learn responsible and effective work habits. Related careers will be described and identified.

Manufacturing Technology (Metalwork and Woodwork)

Students are exposed to the tools, materials and processes of manufacturing through hands-on experience covering topics such as:

• Types and structures of materials
• Shop safety and management
• Tools and processes
• Measuring, plan reading
• Preparation of materials
• Fabricating and finishing of materials
• New Technologies in manufacturing such as CNC Processes

Through project work students apply their newly acquired knowledge, communicate technical information and develop problem solving, process and production skills. Safety and responsibility to others and the environment are practiced and discussed.

Introduction to Practical Engineering and Technology 

Students develop problem solving skills by working individually and in teams to solve practical engineering problems. They will design, build and test solutions they have planned and constructed.

Students will develop knowledge of the correct use of tools and develop individual talents and aptitudes. They will learn to manage time, develop safe work habits and practice technical, process and production skills that variously incorporate: planning, marketing, designing, fabricating and evaluating. They will manipulate tools, materials and processes in disciplines of technology.

Transportation Policy

The Grade 7 & 8 Practical Arts course includes instruction in Foods and Nutrition, Textile Arts and Design, Graphic Communications and Manufacturing. Each of these courses requires the use of specialized instructional space and equipment that is not available in all schools in the Division that house Grades 7 and 8 students. Having specific Practical Arts facilities in centrally located schools allows students to access specialized instructional spaces and equipment.

Students attending Practical Arts classes throughout the Louis Riel School Division are responsible for their own transportation to the facility school, as the School Board does not receive funding for this purpose.

To prepare students for travel to Practical Arts classes, teachers and administrators meet with all students to review student transportation arrangements. They review Winnipeg Transit schedules, discuss travel times and review "what-to-do" when encountering unexpected situations and delays.

Students are scheduled in Practical Arts classes within walking distance or a reasonable transit bus ride.

Attendance

Reporting Absences: Student absences will be reported to the home school either directly by the Practical Arts teacher or by the facility school clerical staff.

Medical Information

Our teachers must know about any information pertinent to a student's health and safety while he/she is in a Practical Arts facility school. The Practical Arts office shares critical medical information retrieved from the divisional student software files with our staff.

Of particular concern: Epipen use and severe conditions which may be aggravated in some Practical Arts environments such as chronic asthma and allergies to food or other serious medical conditions.

In-services

Each school in LRSD schedules two school-based in-service days. Differing schedules between schools can cause confusion for students who travel to a facility school for Practical Arts on those days.

Facility School In-service: To allow Practical Arts staff to attend their home-school in-services, we must cancel scheduled classes. Home schools are advised in advance of cancellations and they are to inform the students and their parents. Students do not attend classes for that half-day.

Home School In-service: If non-facility schools schedule in-services when their students have Practical Arts, the Division expects that students will attend Practical Arts.

Practical Arts Grade Reporting

The Province has declared that there will be three reporting periods for Grades 1 to 8. Since Practical Arts offers four ¼ year terms, our reports do not lineup with the Provincial report timelines. The Division has decided that our Term 1 and Term 2 marks will be printed on the second report card (usually in early February) and that all 4 terms will print on the June report card.

For more information about Industrial Arts and Human Ecology curricula visit the Government of Manitoba website.

• https://www.edu.gov.mb.ca/k12/cur/teched/home_ec.html
• https://www.edu.gov.mb.ca/k12/cur/teched/ind_arts.html

Contact Us

LRSD Practical Arts Office
Phone 204-237-8287