Trimester is Ending Soon

8th Grade:

We are now finished with our design and modeling unit. Our final project for this unit was the Therapeutic Toy Design Challenge. All students were to document all of their work in their engineers notebook then present their product to the class. I had some great notebooks and very unique Therapeutic toys that were designed. However documentation still seems to be a struggle for many students. I try to add in real world reasoning behind keeping all of our design ideas and improvement document by explaining that a real inventor would need to prove that his/her ideas were original. Beyond proving originality inventors and engineers would also have detailed designs and  technical drawings with information for manufactures to create the designs. Many students did much of the work correctly and came up with excellent products but did not receive a good grade because very little was documented in their notebooks. I hope that in future projects students will realize the importance of documentation. 

Finished Student Prototype

Students working on design prototype

Detailed page in student design notebook

7th Grade: 

We are starting on a new design challenge in the last week and a half before the trimester ends. Students are to design a room for given client. I am really excited about this challenge because it is an interdisciplinary lesson. The tech explo students will work on part of this project in each of their tech explo classes (technology and engineering, FACS, Business) ending in a large presentation at the end of the school year. For my part students will design a unique piece of furniture (in Autodesk Inventor) that meets their clients needs and wants. If you have ever seen the HGTV show Fixer Upper with Chip and Joanna you have seen them take their client's needs and wants into account when they design a house or even a piece of furniture to put into the house. My goal is to have students think like a designer/engineer and work to solve a problem based on a client's needs. I really think this will be a fun project. 

Example Client Profile 

Creating a room for the client

6th Grade: 

Students are in the middle of designing and fabricating their dragsters for the upcoming races that will take place during the last week of the trimester. I love how students are able to learn how to manipulate objects in 3D, create their own unique dragster design, and use some simple power tools to make their design become a reality. It really seems like the students are excited for this really unique opportunity. If your son or daughter really enjoys the technology and engineering section of their future pathways elective wheel they can learn more by taking the Tech Explo block of classes during 7th grade.

Projects and More Projects

8th Grade:

 In groups of three students are working on designing then creating a therapeutic toy for someone with Cerebral Palsy. This toy is supposed to help increase motor functions in a child's hand through play. Most students are in the process of 3D modeling their design. They are creating multi-view technical drawings of their toy as well. Next week students will be creating their prototypes using various supplies. I have told the students if they wish to bring in items from home to help create the prototype them may do so.
Additionally I have told students every day about double checking their scoring rubric to make sure they are fulfilling all the requirements for the project. This project is basically the final for the Design and Modeling Unit. In about a week or so we will move on to our Magic of Electrons Unit.

7th Grade:

Students were hard at work finishing their projects this week. We 3D printed their speaker covers for the creature amps. Students also finished painting and applying a top coat of spray lacquer to their projects. This allowed for some time to enjoy the weather outside while we spray lacquered the projects. I do not think we could have picked a better day than this past Thursday and Friday.  I have attached many pictures to this blog of these projects being finished. I am very proud of these students.

6th Grade: 

This week students had to use their measuring skills to follow a set of plans in order to create an air skimmer out of cardboard. They had to measure and draw out all of the pieces on their paper and they had to hot glue all of the pieces correctly in place based on an already completed model. This is a chance for students to both utilize their measurement skills and critical thinking skills. Students should be bringing home their air skimmer this this Friday 10/14. Next week will will be diving into a new computer program called Autodesk Inventor. Students will learn how to use this Computer Aided Design software to create 3D models.

8th grade student working on the 3D model of their their therapeutic toy.

7th grade creature amp in the shape of a Pokemon. 

7th grade creature amp shaped as a red panda. 

7th Grade student with a panda creature amp.

The Flash being painted. 

Projects drying after students applied a final coat of spray lacquer. 

Engineering Design...It's Not Just Building Things...It's a Process

8th Grade

Students are now finished with the puzzle cube project. Students created a 3D model of their project in a CAD program called autodesk Inventor. If students took my 7th grade course this was a review and was a relatively easy assignment. If students did not have my course during 7th grade learning how to manipulate this computer program was a challenge. For those students who may not have finished the puzzle cube assembly on Inventor I am going to stay after school next Thursday for a Technology and Engineering after school tutoring session. I will be able to provide more one on one help during this time. 

We have also started our new engineering design challenge. Students in groups of 3 are to design a therapeutic toy for a child with cerebral palsy. This project is basically our final for the design and modeling unit. Students have a grading rubric on their google classroom that has clear expectations however I have already seen students on day one wanting to go directly to building a prototype and still not understanding that the emphasis of the project is documenting the engineering design process.

7th Grade

I am really proud at how the creature amps are turning out. Students are in the middle of painting their projects and should be able to take them home by the end of next week. It is really fun to see student become more comfortable with tools. We are also in the middle of printing off a part of their project that is 3D printed! 

6th Grade

For second term I have a brand new group of 6th graders. We are currently in our measurement unit and students are learning to use a ruler and measure accurately accurately.  Students demonstrated their knowledge of the ruler by playing a on rulergame.net. Now my 6th grade students are measuring out parts of an air skimmer that they will create using cardboard and hot glue.