MAP Testing and Engineering

The technology and engineering classes are a little crazy this week and next due to the MAP testing schedule. Your son or daughter has been very flexible. Throughout MAP testing my classroom has been displaced due to the fact they need to utilize the computer lab in my class for the state testing. I just wanted to thank all my students for being flexible.

6th Grade: First of all I want to say welcome to all of the new parents of the Future Pathways Technology and Engineering section. Your son or daughter has taken a variety of elective classes throughout the year and the last 7 weeks of school they are now enrolled in Technology and Engineering. The focus of this class is to introduce the students to skills they would need as an engineering and to teach them an engineering design process. Our first unit is all about measurement. They are working now on a project that will actually require them to measure specific parts to create a project. After the measurement project students are going to learn an 3D CAD modeling software called Autodesk Inventor. They will design a dragster that will be propelled by compressed air in this software.

7th Grade: This past week I have split the class into two groups. Every day of class we have 1/2 the students work on their project while the other half are learning about engineering through reading and answering questions from the Project Lead the Way textbook. This has allowed me to work more closely with students using powertools. The students working on project days are also able to get more done and feel more accomplished during project days. I have had a few students not take the book work seriously so please check your students grade on infinite campus this week. Most students are getting very close to finishing their woodworking passive amplification boxes. I see us working only one more week or so on the project. Our next unit will focus on the engineering design process. 

8th Grade: The past two weeks we have been working on an energy and environment project. After brainstorming the many different types of energy sources including renewable and nonrenewable sources all students choose a different energy source. They have completed a trifold poster board with information regarding their energy source and will present their findings in an interesting way. I have another class coming in to see all of the poster boards our students created. The other class will play the part of investors and have to invest monopoly money in the energy source that they think has the most potential. Our technology and engineering students will have to promote their energy source and talk about how the benefits would out weight the negatives. We will have to wait and see which energy sources students will invest in the most.