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.