<Snipped quote by Ruby>
Danny is very much a shop class kind of person, so he'd totally be there. It's useful, cos when the teacher isn't looking, it's stake-wittling time!
I don't really know how elective classes work though, I'm not American and we do things a bit differently here.
Out of a seven period (45~ minutes each) class schedule, four are "core classes"--math, science, English, history, government, whatever. Three are electives.
Emy has the two shop classes because (you hit the "nail" on the head) she wants to be able to make (customize) her own weapons. Her third elective is the 1st period "free period" where she doesn't have a class.