Est. 1998 — 27 years of woodworking knowledge
The key for beginners is focusing on fundamental skills, safe tool use, understanding materials, and getting advice from those with more experience. Asking about common pitfalls and best practices can help accelerate the learning curve. This is one in a series of questions I will be asking that could provide useful information for beginners.
Picture frames, small boxes, shop-grade cabinets.
Shop classes were still a thing when I grew up. Almost all of us took it--boys and girls.
The first woodworking project was about as basic as you can get. It was an inclined rack to hold books (I assume).
We were given a pine plank and instructed how to crosscut using a hand saw, and set up the table saw to rip and dado. Then we had to sand, stain, and finish it.
I took shop all through high school but was probably more interested in the mechanical stuff. I recall rebuilding an 9N Ford tractor, painting cars, fabricating and welding the frame for a "homemade" gooseneck trailer using axles from a mobile home, and making replacement parts for my snowmobile (Arctic Cat Puma 399 Kawasaki) on the lathe.
We were also allowed to smoke out behind the shop. 
My first project in shop class was a Pig cutting board. We had to glue up panel. Cut it on a bandsaw to shape, sand and finish it. It gives the very basics of table saw use, miter saw use, and bandsaw use. Depending on how long you want the session to last or how many sessions you are going to have will dictate the size of the projects.
Bird Houses
Cutting Boards
Small boxes
Where some of my first projects.