The Young New Zealanders' Challenge
of the Duke of Edinburgh's Award
Skills Section
Preface
Participants, instructors and assessors should take note of the conditions as laid down in the
Award Handbook.
This programme is for guidance and is not to be taken as a rigid syllabus. To indicate the
content appropriate to young people with varying degrees of knowledge and experience, it is
arranged under three headings: 'For beginners', 'For those with some knowledge' and 'For
the more advanced', and participants are free to select as broad or as restricted an aspect of
this skill as they wish, but appropriate social and cultural aspects are to be covered.
The safety requirements underlined must be followed.
WORKSHOP CRAFTS
LAPIDARY
Introduction
This activity should include as much practical work as possible during the stipulated period.
Those participating at any level should be given adequate instruction in the safe use of tools
and equipment.
Masks should be worn when working with Paua shell, or shells in general, to avoid possible
respiratory damage. When chipping or hammering any type of specimen, in initial working, it
is advisable to wear goggles.
Craftwork provides an alternative and equally satisfying pursuit for those who find little
motivation from other recreative activities. Like these, it serves to balance more academic
efforts, yet, if reinforced with reading in its historical background, it can assist an
understanding of the social structure and cultural development of our society.
Socially and in terms of speed and efficiency it is better to learn craftwork as part of a group.
Once reasonable proficiency has been achieved, it is possible to accelerate social
development through participation in group projects.
For assessment, each individual is to produce evidence of regular application to the activity
over the required period. This should normally take the form of finished articles, or
certificates of attendance at instruction classes.
For beginners:
Award participants should:
1
Have some knowledge of:
a)
The history of lapidary
b)
Moh's scale of hardness
c)
The principle groups of minerals and gemstones
d)
Simple recognition tests for minerals and gemstones.
2
Be able to identify a variety of NZ and foreign minerals and gemstones.
3
Start a collection of NZ and foreign minerals and gemstones.
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The Young New Zealanders' Challenge
of the Duke of Edinburgh's Award
4
Skills Section
Prepare a Cabochon, drilled for use as pendant, in any selected and available
gemstone or mineral.
For those with some knowledge:
Award participants should:
1
Prepare by hand polishing:
a)
A flat pendant, polished both sides in materials in Moh groups in hardness 3, 4
and 5, including marble.
(b)
A Cabochon in three types of gemstone material in differing hardness.
2
Show a practical understanding of the 'dopping' technique.
3
Produce for assessment a hand carving (using wood-working tools) in Alabaster (e.g.
a figurine, bowl or paperweight.)
4
Study the main types of local stone (to include some fieldwork).
For the more advanced:
EITHER:
Handwork (for those without access to lapidary machines)
Award participants should:
1
Undertake a project of their own choice in Paua, Mother of Pearl or Cowrie shell.
(Care should be taken to wear masks when working with shells to avoid respiratory
damage.)
2
Show a detailed understanding of the process of tumble polishing.
3
Prepare for assessment a piece of jewellery using bought polished stones and
mountings.
OR
Machine Work
Award participants should:
1
With access to power driven grinding wheels and discs should cut Cabochons and
pendants to the following specifications from small pieces of rough rock or bought
sliced material.
a)
18 x 13 mm Calibrated Cabochon in material of Moh hardness 5
b)
25 x 18 mm Calibrated Cabochon in material of Moh hardness 6
c)
40 x 30 mm Calibrated Cabochon in material of Moh hardness 7-7.5
d)
Egg-shaped pendant in Sedalite
e)
Free form pendant in Quartz
f)
Heart-shaped pendant in Agate.
2
Show some study of the use of semi-precious stones as items of barter.
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