Financial Literacy within Technological Education
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1
Custom Woodworking
Since making financial decisions has become an increasingly complex task in the modern world,
people need to have knowledge in various areas and a wide range of skills in order to make
informed decisions about financial matters. They need to be aware of risks that accompany
various financial choices. They also need not only to develop an understanding of world
economic forces, but also to become aware of ways in which they themselves can respond to
those influences and make informed choices. It is therefore essential that financial literacy be
considered an important attribute of a well-educated population so that Ontarians may continue
to prosper in the future.
Financial literacy may be defined as “having the knowledge and skills needed to make
responsible economic and financial decisions with competence and confidence”.1 In addition to
acquiring knowledge in such specific areas as saving, spending, borrowing, and investing,
students need to develop skills in problem solving, inquiry, decision making, critical thinking, and
critical literacy related to financial issues. The goal is to help students acquire the knowledge
and skills that will enable them to understand and respond to complex issues regarding their
own personal finances and the finances of their families, as well as to develop an understanding
of local and global effects of world economic forces and the social, environmental, and ethical
implications of their own choices as consumers.
This lesson plan along with other BBT lesson plans were developed by members of the Ontario
Council for Technology Education (OCTE) in conjunction with the Ministry of Education. The
lessons will be posted on the Ontario Education Resource Bank (OERB)
https://resources.elearningontario.ca/
Contact Information
Board
Development date
Toronto District School Board
July 2011
Contact person
Richard Lee
Position
Secondary Teacher
Phone
Fax
E-mail
richard.lee@tdsb.on.ca
Course
Name
Custom Woodworking – Grade 11 and 12
Course code
TWJ3/4E
20011-12
Name of
lesson plan
Brief
description
of lesson
plan
Duration
Financial Literacy within Technological Education
2
Design a Kitchen within a given budget


Students will be given a floor plan of a simple kitchen to look over.
After determining the quantity and size of cabinets required, they will determine the
cost of building a set of cabinets for the space indicated
2 – 3 hours
Overall
DESIGN, LAYOUT, AND PLANNING SKILLS
expectations TWJ 4E - B1. apply a design process, other problem-solving techniques, and related
concepts and principles, as appropriate, to plan construction projects and develop solutions
for construction problems and challenges;
TWJ3E/4E - B4 apply the mathematical skills required in the design and construction of
woodworking projects
Specific
TWJ3E:
expectations B4. Mathematical Skills
B4.5 prepare estimates of quantities and costs of materials required to complete woodworking
projects, using appropriate metric and/or imperial units (e.g., metres, square metres, litres, board
feet, linear feet, square feet)
TWJ4E:
B1. Design
B1.3 demonstrate how the overall design of a project is affected by design concepts and other factors
(e.g., structure, ergonomics, aesthetics, cost and availability of materials, customer needs)
B1.5 explain the reasons for choosing particular materials for various woodworking projects (e.g.,
strength, cost, ease of use, availability, environmental considerations)
Essential
Skills and
work habits
B4. Mathematical Skills
B4.5 prepare detailed, accurate estimates of quantities and costs of materials for woodworking
projects (e.g., lumber, hardware, finishes), and of labour costs for these projects
Essential Skills
Reading Text
Writing
Document Use
Computer Use
Oral Communication
Numeracy
Money Math:
Scheduling or Budgeting and Accounting:
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Financial Literacy within Technological Education
Measurement and Calculation:
Data Analysis:
Numerical Estimation:
Thinking Skills
Job Task Planning and Organizing
Decision Making
Problem Solving .
Finding Information
Work habits
Working Safely
Teamwork
Reliability
Organization
Working Independently
Initiative
Self-advocacy
Customer Service
Entrepreneurship
Instructional/Assessment Strategies
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Financial Literacy within Technological Education
Teacher’s notes
The focus of this lesson/activity is financial literacy. It is not meant to be a complete lesson on
the design and manufacture of kitchen cabinets. There is enough information included
however, that the students can be challenged at various levels depending on the teacher’s
goals. By far the most difficult aspect of the lesson will be determining the amount of sheet
goods required to build the kitchen. This strongly addresses measurement and layout skills. It
is recommended that the students work in pairs to make this task less daunting. To bypass this
part of the activity, simply inform the students of the number of sheets required do build the
upper cabinets, lower cabinets, and doors. This information is found in Appendix 7 - BILL OF
MATERIALS ANSWER KEY
The list of materials and hardware provided in this lesson is by no means exhaustive or
complete. It has been kept simple to provide a reasonable level of challenge for the students.
Items like fasteners, adhesives, edge tape, and finishing supplies are not mentioned. These
items can be mentioned for clarity, or brought into play as an extension at the teacher’s
discretion.
Another aspect that has been omitted for the sake of simplicity is the entrepreneurial side – e.g.
labour, overhead, and profit. The teacher who wishes to extend this lesson into a complete unit
may address those issues as well.
Building on prior knowledge:
For the purposes of this activity it is not crucial for the students to have an in depth
understanding of how kitchen cabinetry is manufactured, although some experience with shell
style cabinet construction might make the first part (estimating the quantity of sheet goods
required) easier and more meaningful. Before commencing this exercise, however, the
students should have good facility with imperial measurements, and an understanding of how
board feet are calculated.
Context
For cabinetmakers to run a successful business it is essential that they are able to
provide accurate estimates of the costs of jobs to their clients. Failure to do so can have
serious and potentially disastrous financial consequences for the entrepreneur.
Strategies
 Introduce the lesson, handing out the following sheets:
1. ESTIMATING THE COST OF BUILDING KITCHEN CABINETS (Appendix 1)
2. GALLEY KITCHEN FLOOR PLAN (Appendix 2)
3. CABINET DESIGN (Appendix 3)
4. TYPICAL MATERIAL AND HARDWARE CHOICES FOR BUILDING A
KITCHEN (Appendix 4)
5. KITCHEN MATERIALS PRICE LIST (Appendix 5)
6. BILL OF MATERIALS WORKSHEET Appendix 6)
 Involve students in a discussion about kitchens – what kind of doors does their kitchen
have? What kinds of knobs, counter tops etc.? Discuss the various aspects that may
determine the budget for a kitchen, and the choices of materials that make up a set of
cabinets. Talk about needs versus wants.
 Have the students go over the handouts in Appendices 2,3, and 4. Help them to
identify the various cabinets on the plan, then the various parts of each cabinet on the
design sheet, and finally the material choices.
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


Financial Literacy within Technological Education
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Give the students a mandated budget with which to build the kitchen (for more on this
see “ADDITIONAL NOTES” below . Be sure to explain that such entrepreneurial
concerns such as labour, overhead and profit are not part of this activity. (This may, of
course, lead to other fruitful discussions.)
Have the students (preferably in pairs) begin by preparing a SHEET GOODS
CALCULATOR WORKSHEET. Instructions for doing this are on the back of the first
handout (Appendix 1). You may have to start one yourself to serve as an example to
get them going.
Once the students have completed their SHEET GOODS CALCULATOR
WORKSHEET (This may take more than one full class)you can instruct them to start
filling out the BILL OF MATERIALS WORKSHEET (Appendix 6). This activity should be
accomplished during one class.
Have the students write a one half to one page explanation of how they arrived at their
quote. What was the reasoning behind their choices?
Assessment and Evaluation of Student Achievement
Strategies/Tasks
Purpose
1.Create and fill out the SHEET GOODS CALCULATOR
Formative - Is the student understanding how
WORKSHEET (See page two of Appendix 1)
various parts are obtained from a sheet?
2.Fill out the BILL OF MATERIALS WORKSHEET
Summative - Has the student demonstrated the
(Appendix 6)
ability
ability to interpret the plan and apply the
relevant math skills?
3. Write a one half to one page explanation of how you Summative – Has the student demonstrated an
arrived at your quote
understanding of the financial choices involved
in designing and building a kitchen?
Assessment tools


BILL OF MATERIALS ANSWER KEY (Appendix 7)
MARKING RUBRIC (Appendix 8)
Additional Notes/Comments/Explanations
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Financial Literacy within Technological Education
ASSIGNING A MANDATED BUDGET:
Using the parameters included with this lesson, the cost of materials for this kitchen range from
$1152.46 to $3053.55, before taxes. By assigning a budget somewhere in between those two
figures, you force the students to make choices. This strongly addresses the financial literacy
concepts of working within a budget, and understanding the difference between needs and
wants. You may also explain that kitchens are often designed with a “PRICE PER LINEAR
FOOT” in mind(in this case, 20 linear feet). Thus, a budget of $100 per linear foot, for example,
would limit the overall materials cost for this kitchen at $2000.
MAKING IT INTERESTING:
With the students working in pairs, you could announce that the first teams to submit a properly
completed SHEET GOODS CALCULATOR WORKSHEET will receive higher budgets. This
also introduces a certain competitiveness that will be experienced in the real world.
SCORING THE SHEET GOODS CALCULATOR WORKSHEET
There is more than one way to fit all the parts onto the sheets, so there is no one right answer.
Here are a few guidelines, however:
 The upper and lower cabinets together can be made from 7 sheets with minimal waste.
One sheet may have pieces from upper and lower cabinets.
 The backs can be made from 4 sheets.
 If melamine or plywood veneer doors are being made, 3 sheets are needed.
 Encourage the students to start with the largest pieces, and to orient pieces of the
same width in one “strip” that can be ripped on the table saw.
 Remind students that the orientation of the pieces must allow the sheet to be ripped
and cross cut easily. The sheet should not look like a jig saw puzzle.
 If plywood veneer is being used, the orientation of the grain must be consistent.
TO FOCUS STRICTLY ON THE FINANCIAL LITERACY COMPONANT OF THIS LESSON:
You can skip the SHEET GOODS CALCULATOR WORKSHEET (see page two of Appendix 1)
and CABINET DESIGN (Appendix 3) handout and just plug the correct numbers into the BILL
OF MATERIALS WORKSHEET (Appendix 6). Students should still submit the explanation
page outlining their choices. The total mark in this case would be on 20 rather than 35.
Resources
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Authentic workplace materials
Appendix 2 - GALLEY KITCHEN PLAN
Websites
As an extension to this activity, you may have the students research prices for building materials. The
following websites may prove useful:
www.leevalley.com (hardware)
www.cabinetdoordepot.ca (doors and drawer faces)
www.robertbury.com (sheet goods)
www.countertop-depot.com (laminated and solid counter tops)
Accommodations



Students who are struggling may be paired with stronger students.
Quantitative numbers can be plugged into BILL OF MATERIALS WORKSHEET (Appendix 6)
Choices from KITCHEN MATERIALS PRICE LIST (Appendix 5) may be limited to one per
category
List of Attachments
Appendix 1 - ESTIMATING THE COST OF BUILDING KITCHEN CABINETS
Appendix 2 - GALLEY KITCHEN PLAN
Appendix 3 - CABINET DESIGN
Appendix 4 - TYPICAL MATERIAL AND HARDWARE CHOICES FOR BUILDING A
KITCHEN
Appendix 5 - KITCHEN MATERIALS PRICE LIST
Appendix 6 - BILL OF MATERIALS WORKSHEET
Appendix 7 - BILL OF MATERIALS ANSWER KEY
Appendix 8 - MARKING RUBRIC
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Appendix 1 - Estimating the Cost of Building Kitchen Cabinets
Imagine that you have been asked to prepare a quote on a set of kitchen cabinets for a galley
kitchen. A galley kitchen is a narrow kitchen with cabinets, counters and appliances on both
sides, and may be found in a small apartment or condo. They are often walk-through (open at
both ends). As you will learn in this lesson, the cost of building cabinets for a kitchen can vary
greatly, depending on the materials chosen. The owner of an apartment building may be very
concerned with the cost (but will still want a certain level of quality), whereas a luxury condo
developer may be more concerned with a kitchen that adds value and sales appeal to the unit.
As a cabinetmaker, you will be concerned only with the cost of the cabinets and the countertop.
The appliances, sink, flooring and backsplash are not part of your quote. The worksheets
included in this lesson will help you with the following steps:
1. Determine the amount of material that you need to build the cabinets.
2. Determine how much material you will need to make the doors and drawer faces, or how
many of each you will need to order from another company.
3. Determine how many knobs and drawer slides you will need.
4. Determine how many linear feet of countertop you will have to order.
5. Determine the cost of all of the above!
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How to calculate how may sheets of material you need:
To make your own “Sheet Goods Calculator Worksheet”, take a piece of
¼ inch squared paper, and draw several 8 square by 16 square rectangles on it. Use a pen, and
leave at least 2 squares empty between rectangles. Each of these rectangles will represent one
4’ x 8” sheet of melamine or veneer ply. Each line within the rectangle represents 6”, so every
two lines is a foot. Using a pencil, start to outline where each piece of each cabinet will fit on a
sheet. Be sure to label each piece as you go along. If the width or length of a piece you are
marking does not fall on a line, just estimate where the line should be drawn.
Some helpful hints:
 The actual width of the lower gables and bottoms is 23 ¾ inches, allowing two “24” inch
pieces to be cut from a 48” wide sheet. The actual width of the top pieces is 11 3/4”, for
the same reason.
 Make sure you orient the parts so that the sheet can be run through on the table saw.
 Except for the small cabinets above the fridge and stove, all upper and lower cabinet
doors are 30” in height.
 All cabinets with two doors need only two gables.
 The drawer cabinet is a stand alone cabinet, with two gables.
 The upper cabinet to the right of the stove has three doors and three gables.
 If you are using veneered plywood, pay attention to the direction of the grain!
To be handed in at the end of this activity:
 Your completed SHEET GOODS CALCULATOR WORKSHEET
 Your completed BILL OF MATERIALS WORKSHEET
 A brief explanation (about a half a page to one page max) of how you arrived at your
choice of materials to prepare the quote.
Evaluation:
 SHEET GOODS CALCULATOR WORKSHEET ……....
15 MARKS
 BILL OF MATERIALS WORKSHEET……………………
10 MARKS
 EXPLANATION……………………………………………..
10 MARKS
TOTAL
35 MARKS
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APPENDIX 2 - GALLEY KITCHEN PLAN
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APPENDIX 3 - CABINET DESIGN, SHELL STYLE
Modern kitchen cabinets are usually built using a “Shell Style” construction (as opposed to the
older “Frame and Panel” style). Lower cabs have two gables, or sides, a bottom, a kick plate,
and two top braces. The top braces are used to support the countertop. Upper cabinets have
two gables, a top, and a bottom.
There are three main options for the back (applies to upper and lower cabs):
1. Full back (usually ½” melamine) – the most expensive and most solid.
2. Two cleats with a masonite back. Masonite is a 1/8” thick hardboard. This solution will
hide the wall behind the cabinet but is not a solid or professional looking as a full back.
The two cleats (see image of upper cabinet for an example) provide a surface for
attaching the cabinet to the wall. This is a mid cost solution.
3. Open back with two cleats. The least expensive solution.
Lower cabinets usually have one 16” deep shelf, and upper cabinets typically have two shelves.
The shelves and doors are not shown in these images.
LOWER CABINET
UPPER CABINET
NOTE** The top braces on lower cabinets are typically 5” wide, and the back cleats (if used) on
both upper and lower cabs are usually 4” wide.
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APPENDIX 4 - TYPICAL MATERIAL AND HARDWARE CHOICES FOR
BUILDING A KITCHEN
The choices of materials and especially hardware that are available for building a kitchen are too
numerous to fully cover here. There are dozens of major companies that specialize in hardware
for cabinetry, and some of their catalogues are almost the size of a small telephone directory.
For the purpose of this activity we will limit the choices to two or three in each category.
CABINETS:
Standard kitchen cabinets are usually constructed from Melamine. Melamine is an engineered
wood product that consists of a sheet of particle board (also called presswood) laminated on
both sides with a sheet of paper that is coated with plastic. It is somewhat durable and easily
washable, but is prone to scratching and chipping. Melamine comes in a 4’ x 8’ sheet, and a
variety of thicknesses. Melamine cabinets are typically made with 5/8” thick material, and the
backs of cabinets are often made with 1/2".
Custom kitchens are often made with plywood, which is then laminated on both sides with
veneer. Veneer is a thin layer of real wood, and gives plywood the appearance of a high quality
solid wood. Because of this, and because plywood is much stronger than particle board, this
method produces a more durable, higher quality and beautiful cabinet. However, the materials
involved and the labour and materials to finish the veneer make these cabinets more expensive.
In either case, edges must be covered with melamine tape or wood veneer tape.
MELAMINE
VENEER PLYWOOD
DOORS AND DRAWER FRONTS:
The least expensive option here is to cut the doors from a sheet of melamine. Doors that are
molded to simulate raised panel doors are available in a variety of sizes and finishes from most
big box home improvement stores. The nicest (and most labour intensive and expensive) doors
are made from solid woods like pine (for a country look) and oak (for a more classic
appearance). Many small cabinet making shops will order these doors from a company that
specializes in doors and drawer fronts.
MELAMINE DOOR
MOLDED DOOR
WOOD DOOR
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COUNTERTOPS:
The two most popular choices for countertops are laminated (particle board with Formica) and
granite. Granite is very expensive, but is highly regarded for its beauty and durability. A granite
counter top is often a good selling point in the real estate market. There are many other choices,
but we will stay with these two.
FORMICA
GRANITE
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HARDWARE:
Hardware for a kitchen mainly consists of Hinges, Knobs or Pulls, and Drawer slides.
 Hinges: Modern cabinets are usually constructed using a “shell design” (see cabinet
design sheet), and almost always use European style 35mm hinges. Less expensive
hinges open about 95º (a); more expensive models open 135º (b) or even 175º (c).

Drawer slides: Standard drawer slides are quite good – full extension slides are even
better, but more expensive.

Knobs and pulls: There are hundreds of choices on the market, ranging from about $1
each to over $10. The kitchen in the drawing features knobs (attached with one screw),
but you may choose pulls (attached with two screws ) if you wish.
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APPENDIX 5 - Kitchen Materials Price List
SHEET GOODS
Melamine, 5/8” x 4 x 8 sheet
Melamine, ½” x 4 x 8 sheet
Veneer Ply, ¾” x 4 x 8 sheet
Masonite, 1/8” x 4 x 8 sheet
40.50
39.00
93.00
13.59
COUNTER TOPS
Laminated, per linear foot
Granite, per linear foot
17.90
43.75
DOORS
Pre-fab wood door
Pre-fab wood drawer face
Molded door
Molded drawer face
22.00
18.00
15.75
13.50
SOLID WOOD
Oak, per board foot
Maple, per board foot
Pine, per board foot
3.95
2.75
2.05
HARDWARE
Hinge, 95º
9.90
Hinge, 120º
12.10
Hinge, 170º
18.30
Drawer slides, regular, per pair
7.20
Drawer slides, full extension, per pair
19.60
Simple knob
1.40
Mid-range knob
2.90
High-end knob
6.50
Simple pull
2.30
Mid-range pull
4.90
High-end pull
7.50
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Financial Literacy within Technological Education
APPENDIX 6 - BILL OF MATERIALS WORKSHEET
This worksheet will help you calculate the cost of materials that you would need to order to build
the kitchen.
Description
Lower Cabs:
Include gables, bottoms,
braces, kick plates,
shelves, (and cleats if
not using a full back)
Upper cabs:
Include gables, bottoms,
tops, shelves,( and
cleats if not using a full
back)
Backs for upper and
lower cabs
Counter tops
Doors & Drawer faces: If
melamine determine # of
sheets.
If wood, determine # of
board feet if you are
making them.
Hinges (2 per door)
Knobs or pulls
Drawer slides
Other items
SUBTOTAL
13% HST
GRAND TOTAL FOR
MATERIALS ONLY:
Material
(circle choice)
Melamine 5/8”
Qty
Unit
4’ x 8’
sheets
Veneer Ply ¾”
Melamine 5/8”
4’ x 8’
sheets
Veneer Ply ¾”
Masonite 1/8”
Melamine ½”
4’ x 8’
sheets
Laminated
Granite
Melamine
Molded Doors
Drawer Faces
Prefab wood
doors
Drawer Faces
Solid wood *
*(add15% waste)
95º, 135º, 175º
See price list
Regular
Full extension
Linear
foot
4x8
sheets,
doors, or
board feet
each
each
pairs
Cost
Total
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Financial Literacy within Technological Education
APPENDIX 7 - ANSWER KEY TO:
BILL OF MATERIALS WORKSHEET
Description
Lower Cabs:
Include gables,
bottoms, braces,
kick plates, shelves,
(and cleats if not
using a full back)
Upper cabs:
Include gables,
bottoms, tops,
shelves,( and cleats
if not using a full
back)
Backs for upper and
lower cabs
Material
(circle choices)
Qty
Unit
Cost
Total
(Circle
choices)
Melamine 5/8”
OR
3.5
4’ x 8’ sheets
(must buy full sheets)
40.50
162.00
472.00
Veneer Ply ¾”
118.00
4’ x 8’ sheets
Melamine 5/8”
OR
Veneer Ply ¾”
3
40.50
121.50
3
118.00
354.00
4
13.59
54.36
39.00
17.90
43.75
40.50
15.75
13.50
22.00
18.00
2.053.95
156.00
268.50
656.25
121.5
283.50
67.50
396.00
90.00
153.75296.25
Hinges (2 per door)
Masonite 1/8”
OR
Melamine ½”
Laminated
Granite
Melamine
Molded Doors
Drawer Faces
Prefab wood
doors
Drawer Faces
Solid wood *
*(add15%
waste)
95º, 135º, 175º
36
each
Knobs or pulls
See price list
23
each
Drawer slides
Regular
Full extension
5
pairs
Counter tops
Doors & Drawer
faces: If melamine
determine # of
sheets.
If wood, determine
# of board feet if
you are making
them.
SUBTOTAL
13% HST
GRAND TOTAL
FOR MATERIALS
ONLY
4
15
15
3
18
5
18
5
75
4’ x 8’ sheets
Linear
foot
5/8x4 x 8 sheets,
doors, or
board feet
9.90356.40
18.30
658.80
1.4032.20
7.50
172.50
7.20
36.00
19.60
98.00
from 1152.46 to 3053.55
149.82
396.96
from 1302.28 to 3450.51
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Financial Literacy within Technological Education
APPENDIX 8 - RUBRIC FOR GALLEY KITCHEN ESTIMATE
Name_____________________
Course
Name:
Unit Title:
Criteria
:
Create and fill
out a ”sheet
goods
calculator
worksheet”
Complete the
“bill of
materials”
worksheet
Create a
report
explaining
material
choices.
The student:
TOTAL:
Custom Woodworking
Course Code:
TWJ
Financial Literacy
Task:
Estimate the cost of
building kitchen cabinets
Level 1
50 – 59%
Level 2
60 – 69%
Level 3
70 – 79%
Level 4
80 % +
Worksheet is
partially
complete. Most
major parts are
present.
Worksheet is
complete with
more than one
extra sheet and
/or several parts
missing.
Worksheet is
filled out with
several errors.
Total estimate is
inconsistent with
budget.
Worksheet is
complete with up to
one extra sheet
used and few or no
parts missing.
Worksheet is
complete with
correct number of
sheets and all
parts.
/15
Worksheet is filled
out with minor
errors in
calculation. Total
estimate is within
20% of budget
Worksheet is
correctly filled
out. Total
estimate is within
budget.
/10
explains their
material choices
and
demonstrates an
understanding of
the estimation
process with a
moderate
degree of
success
explains the
material choices
and demonstrates
an understanding
of the estimation
process with
considerable
success
explains the
material choices
and demonstrates
an understanding
of the estimation
process with a
high degree of
success
/10
Quantities listed
on worksheet do
not correspond
with the plan.
There are
several errors in
calculation. Total
estimate not
accurate.
explains their
material choices
and
demonstrates an
understanding of
the estimation
process with
limited success
Mark.
/35