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. 

End of First Term

8th Grade:

First trimester is over. We have covered in the past month and a half a lot of ground. First students learned about the various types of engineers. We then started learning about the different sketching and drawing techniques that engineers use. We ended the first term by completing a puzzle cube project where students had to design, create correct engineering drawing, generate a 3D model, and create the finished product. Many students who struggled with this assignment failed to review the scoring rubric. I find that part of teaching 8th grade is getting students prepared for high school. My 8th grade class is more difficult and rigorous than 6th or 7th and some students are realizing that after completing the puzzle cube project. My bit of advice for all of my 8th grade students is to always read directions and review scoring rubrics for all their assignments.

7th Grade: 

What an amazing 6 weeks it has been. Students have accomplished a lot of work on there creature amps in a very little time. We have not only used 3D modeling software to see how our wood working  project will be put together but we started working on the creature amps. All students had to pass safety tests over various tools. Students are now using all of these tools to construct their creature amp. I am really happy with the progress students have been making. By the end of September the student projects should be complete.

6th Grade: 

It is always sad after only 6 weeks to see my 6th grade students leave. Students learned about engineering, measurement, 3D design, shop safety and how to create their very own wooden dragster. If your son or daughter was on 6-2 camp and had my technology and engineering class 1st term I still have their projects. Please have them pick up their projects as soon as possible.
For my new 2nd term students please turn in your $5 shop fee as soon as possible to the school store.

Students solving their puzzle cube projects.

Creature amps are starting to take shape. 

 

Projects and More Projects

Documenting various puzzle cube combinations. 

All documentation is going into our engineers notebooks

Brainstorming possible combinations. 

A few happy students. Missouri University of Science and Technology
 sent them back information. 

8th Grade: 

All the pictures above are from our 8th grade class last week. We started and are almost complete with our puzzle cube project. Students had to brainstorm, design, and document the parts of a puzzle cube that they created. Students had criteria and constraints that they had to design around. Though challenging students were required to document all of their work in an engineering notebook as well. I am excited to see the finished product later on this week. 

7th Grade: 

We are in the shop now. All students are working on their creature amps this past week. Students are getting a chance to use many power tools that they have never touched before including power drills, band saws, and drill presses. I will post pictures of the construction process in my next blog. 

6th Grade: 

Students worked on their cars last week and now are seeing the fruits of their labor. Their mini dragsters are complete. We will have a double elimination tournament this week before all 6th grade future pathways students will change to their next elective on the rotation. It is always sad to see the students go.

The finished product. Time to race now. 

Engineering...being creative with a plan.

This week in all of my classes students are learning how to create and design with set goals in mind. I love when students are able to be creative and in my classes students get to learn how to be creative but follow certain design rules and constraints. It is really important that students know how to plan, develop, and prototype a design before they begin building.

8th Grade

Students are still working on the different types of drawings engineers use. Students also began documenting in their Gateway Engineering Notebooks their progress. We started the week learning about Isometric and Multi-view/Orthographic drawings. Now students should be familiar with dimensioning  multi-view drawings as well as following a multi-view drawing to create the actual 3D object. I always tell the students it is kind of like a puzzle.

A few weeks ago 8th grade students sent letters to various universities that have engineering degree programs. A few student received a reply form MS&T. It is amazing to see student work turn into something more than just a grade but have real world implications like the college letter assignment. 

7th Grade

We are almost done with our safety tests. Students took a safety test this Friday over the tools they may be using in class. If students missed 3 or more questions I am wanting them to retake the safety test online this weekend. The test can be found on their google classroom. Students also started designing their creature amps. I see a lot of good designs. Next week we should be in the shop working on the projects.

6th Grade

Students leaned how to use a 3D modeling software this week to prototype their dragsters that they will make in class next week. From learning a new program to creating their own plans students are being very creative but also get to think critically about what will make a fast dragster.

Engineering Before a 3 Day Weekend

8th Grade: 

I am very proud of these 8th graders this week. We completed a lot of work in class. Students presented their final prototype they created for the foot orthosis design challenge. We had some amazing designs. One thing that students can work on for the future is documenting design changes in their notes. Most notes were lacking detail and sketches.
Students also started learning how sketching can be an effective communication tool. Students worked on thumbnail sketches, isometric drawings, and multi view/orthographic drawings. It seemed like the students had a lot of fun playing around with the isometric grid paper.

Student Foot Orthosis Prototype 

Learning to use Isometric Grid Paper

Multiview/Orthographic Drawing

7th Grade: 

After a few days using Autodesk Inventor to design their Creature Amps students are now learning about shop safety. We already took a very simple general safety test and next week students will be taking a safety test over the band saw, drill press, power sanders, and the scroll saw. Students will be using all of these tools to create the Creature Amp that they are designing. I really like how this project shows that  we can actually create the objects that we design using tools and power equipment.

Drill Press Safety

6th Grade: 

Students have been working hard on their Air Skimmers. They had to measure and create these skimmers based on particular measurements. By this time students should be able to measure accurately. We are not introducing the 3D modeling software students will be using to design their next project which is a dragster that will be propelled by compressed air.