This curriculum guide contains operational guidelines to help local administrators, teacher educators, and industrial arts teachers in the State of Louisiana determine the extent to which their basic metals courses are meeting the needs of the youth they serve. It consists of a discussion of course prerequisites, goals, content, and implementation as well as 16 units devoted to various subject areas addressed in a basic metals course. Covered in the units are general safety, basic metalworking tools, layout, bench metalwork, sheet metal, art metal, ornamental metalwork, forging, metal casting, welding, metal finishing, planning, careers in metalworking, and basic metals projects. Each unit contains some or all of the following: objectives, time allotments, suggested topics, student activities, teacher activities, resources, and a unit inventory listing necessary tools and equipment. Among those items appended to the guide are safety rules, steps in making a layout, samples of basic metals projects, a sample student-planning sheet, suggestions for measuring achievement, sample test questions, techniques for conducting classes and for motivating students, and a list of resource materials. (MN)