6th grade floor plans
I am so excited for the 6th grade students who have nearly completed their floor plans. This is our last summative activity in our technology class and students have been working very hard on these.
A reminder that floor plans and extra credit are due in my drop box by June 5th for ‘B’ day students and on June 8th for ‘A’ day students. Work can be turned in earlier of course. Those attending cedar point can send me your floor plans by the 9th. Also final notebooks are also due on these days.
*No late work accepted after June 9th!
Information regarding Thursday May 21st
To students and families of Stout: Just a reminder that it is a policy of my class that students who have an unexcused absence will not be able to turn in work which was due on that day. Students who are excused by a parent or school related activity can turn in their late work the day they come back to school. Thank you!
8th Grade project
Currently our 8th grade classes are working on designing and building a mousetrap powered vehicle. They have formed small groups and researched ways in which to design a vehicle to travel at least 15 feet using the mousetrap as the power source. This activity should be completed and tested on May 1st.
Our next project will take the remainder of the school year. We will be designing a motorized toy car thanks to the Dearborn Foundation who provided a grant for this project.
7th grade Activity
Well the 7th grade classes have finished testing their awesome basswood truss bridges this week. Many teams were very successful in supporting at least 15 pounds of pressure per square inch. Way to go!
Next we will be spending the entire new marking period on gliders. This is a project we purchased with a grant from the Dearborn Foundation. Students will form companies which are “hired” to product a toy glider as well as a childrens book using the glider as a subject. We will discuss how object stay in flight and how to design a glider which will travel the longest distance possible.
I am so excited to see this project in completion in June! Parents, be sure to ask your child about this project and how you can help them learn more about flight.
6th grade gameboards
Currently 6 grade students are putting the finishing touches on their game boards. “A ” day students will be testing each others games on May 1st. Please remember that marking period notebooks are due on this day as well so make sure you are up to date (30 points possible)
“B” day students will be testing their boards on April 30th. Notebooks for this class are also due on this day!
Good luck to all of our game board designers, I cannot wait to see your games being enjoyed by your classmates!
What have we been working on and what is coming up next!!
8th grade Applications of Technology Class:
This group of awesome young men and women just completed their Biotechnology Unit. For this unit students discussed how biotechnology (industrial, agricultural and medical technologies) are used in their lives. Students created an artificial hand with basic materials, spent one school day without the use of an arm (to help with the understanding of how people with disabilities are able to lead normal lives) and then researched careers in the biotechnology field to get a better understanding of a career they have interest in.
This marking period we have begun our manufacturing unit. Our focus begins with how products are packaged for consumer use, what types of packaging are helpful to the environment and which are not and what are some government required items to be found on all packaging.
7th grade Foundations of Technology class:
This group just completed their fantastic marble mazes! This was a unit on construction with a discussion on how weight and balance keep structures supported and how friction is used to slow down and object. The goal of this activity is to design and build a maze which will force the marble to go as slow as possible from one point to another. Best time was 23 seconds!!
Up next for this group is a unit in Communication Technology where students are learning about Logos and design. Students will be creating a label for a beverage container (start bringing in those plastic bottles soon!). We have discussed what Logos signify to a company as well as what a trademark means. We also discussed the requirements of Nutrition Facts found on all food and beverage containers and why they are used.
6th grade Exploring Technology:
Our group continues to learn more about what Technology is and we are now researching technologies (inventions) we are interested in learning more about. Students are creating a one page typed paper with information about their invention and then creating a project based on the invention. (a powerpoint, a timeline or a model). This activity is due at the end of next week! The assignment is listed below:
Inventions and History
Directions: for this activity you will be researching a invention of your choosing which was invented before 2000. You will be typing a one page paper as well as creating a project related to your technology. The rubric is below:
The paper: (example is on the back)
- At least one page typed, in 12-16 pt font
- Double spaced
- The title on the top line, and your name below the title
- Items to be included in the paper:
- When was the technology invented (ex: Dec. 5, 1976 or the 1300’s or the 16th century are all periods of time)
- Who invented it (could be more than one person. If the technology is very old an inventor may not be named but do indicate that information)
- Where was it invented (could be in a city, state, country or empire that no longer exists)
- What other inventions do we have today which are like your invention or what other inventions came to be because of your invention? (Example: the cell phone, fax machine and internet were all created thanks to the telephone)
- Finally, some fun facts about your invention. (Examples: Was it an accidental invention? Is it no longer around and why?)
- All work is to be original, no copy and pasting information.
Total possible _____ / 10 points summative
Also complete a project, see your choices below:
The project: (choose one of the following)
- A powerpoint presentation with five slides which display pictures and information found in your paper. You can add animation and sound if you like.
- A model of your invention (it can be made of any material you chose but cannot just be the invention such as showing us your cell phone, that is not a model). If your model is large or resembles a weapon than this activity is probably not the best choice.
- A timeline on poster displaying how your invention has changed throughout the years. If you invention has not changed much than this activity is probably not the best choice.
Total possible _____ / 10 points summative
All work is due by March 27 (A day), March 26th (B day) . There will be time in class to research your information and work on your project. You may want to consider also doing some work at home.
A new semester!
Welcome to second semester technology class! Take a look and see what our students have been up to and what they will be working on for this month.
8th Grade Applications of Technology:
Students in this class began the semester with discussing what procedures we should have in our class to make sure that everyone in our class is successful, safe and has fun! Next, we spent three days on a unit about time management. At this stage in life students are finding that more and more responsibilities and requiring more time. The goal of this unit is to help students be able to find time to do the things they have to do (homework, chores, sports and clubs) so that they have time to do the things they want to do (play video games, hang out with friends and such). We discussed how to create a to-do list, a weekly schedule as well as to plan a month ahead for celebrations and vacations. Finally we are finishing up on our measuring unit. Students are reviewing on how to measure length in inches, down to 1/16″. See the example below!
Our next unit will focus on medical and Biotechnology. Definition below:
Our project for this activity will be for students to create and artificial arm and hand using foam board, straws, rubber bands and string. We will also learn about what life is like without the use of a limb by spending one school day without the use of an arm.
7th Grade Foundations of Technology:
Students in this class began the semester with discussing what procedures we should have in our class to make sure that everyone in our class is successful, safe and has fun! Next, we spent three days on a unit about time management. At this stage in life students are finding that more and more responsibilities and requiring more time. The goal of this unit is to help students be able to find time to do the things they have to do (homework, chores, sports and clubs) so that they have time to do the things they want to do (play video games, hang out with friends and such). We discussed how to create a to-do list, a weekly schedule as well as to plan a month ahead for celebrations and vacations. Finally we are finishing up on our measuring unit. Students are reviewing on how to measure length in inches, down to 1/16″. See the 8th grade example!
Our next unit will focus on structures and how they are supported. We will use the knowledge of structures and measurement to begin work on our next project…a marble maze! See some ideas below!
6th Grade Exploring Technology:
Students in this class began the semester with discussing what procedures we should have in our class to make sure that everyone in our class is successful, safe and has fun! Next, we spent three days on a unit about time management. At this stage in life students are finding that more and more responsibilities and requiring more time. The goal of this unit is to help students be able to find time to do the things they have to do (homework, chores, sports and clubs) so that they have time to do the things they want to do (play video games, hang out with friends and such). We discussed how to create a to-do list, a weekly schedule as well as to plan a month ahead for celebrations and vacations. Finally we are finishing up on our measuring unit. Students are reviewing on how to measure length in inches, down to 1/16″. this week they will be making their own rulers from Plexiglas.
Our next unit will focus on historical inventions.
Need some ideas for an invention project, take a look at:
https://www.enchantedlearning.com/inventors/
https://inventors.about.com/od/astartinventions/a/FamousInvention.htm
Papers for Energy activity
Happy New Year!
Welcome 2015!!! I hope you have all had a restful and fun two weeks off! Here is a heads up of what to expect for the rest of the semester:
8th Grade: Students will finish the semester with an energy project in which students will investigate forms of energy used to power our world. Those forms of energy include Solar, Wind, Geothermal, Nuclear, Hydroelectric and more! This is part of our energy in Technology unit!
7th Grade: Students were asked to start bringing in recycled materials the first week back. As part of our transportation unit we will investigate how car manufacturers keep us safe in our vehicles. We will discover the differences between transportation 100 years ago and how that compares to today with the invention of seat belts, airbags and anit-lock brakes, which are used to protect us today. In small groups we will design and build vehicles which will hold a raw egg. We will attempt to keep our egg safe as it drives down a ramp to hit a wall simulating a front end collision. Can our egg crash vehicles, like our own cars, keep the egg safe in the case of a crash? We shall see!!!
6th Grade: Students looked at various styles of homes to see what we like in a house’s exterior beginning in December. Someday our students will be homeowners and, as part of this communication technology unit, it is important for kids to know what their tastes in architecture lie. We also learned about and tried an online program called smallblueprinter.com. This program allows students to create a floorplan (blueprint) or a home. We will continue working on this activity until the end of the semester.
All grade levels will have final notebook checks due the last week of the semester. Here are some dates to consider:
January 14th: late start
January 19th: no school, Martin Luther King Day
January 22nd: 1/2 day (last day of the first semester)
January 23rd: no school
January 26th: 1/2 day (beginning of the second semester)
Happy holidays and have an awesome new year!
And so it begins…two weeks of vacation, a time to recharge and enjoy time with family and friends. I wish you all a safe and enjoyable vacation, as for myself I plan to sleep in everyday (that would waking around 7am, ha,ha). Looking forward to seeing you all in the new year!
Mrs. Fulton
