Written by teachers for teachers, these ready-to-use, hands-on projects for technology education and applied science classes are great curriculum enhancement tools. They really get students motivated!

Simply duplicate and use for as many students—and for as many times—as desired. Our high-quality activities save you time and help your students really understand the principles of technology and applied science. Projects include teaching tools such as procedures, vocabulary words, quizzes, photos, illustrations and much more.

Sampler Disks Only $9.95 each


Projects are intended for unlimited copying and use by purchaser only. For multi-teacher use, site licenses are available. Hard copies available at an adjusted price. Please contact Vanessa Barlow at 734-975-2800 x217 or vanessa@techdirections.com for information.


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©2007 by Tech Directions/Prakken Publications, Inc.

Sampler CDs

A $20.85 value for only $9.95!

Each CD contains three full projects—ready for immediate classroom use.


Applied Academics
Cardboard Boat Challenge
Students research, design, construct and race cardboard boats, gaining substantial math, science, communication and engineering experience in the course of the activity. Includes 10 student work sheets, plus an evaluation sheet.

Applied Mathematics
Architects, designers, engineers and technicians routinely make mathematical calculations for construction and production. The activities provided here give students experience in calculating perimeter, circumference, area and volume.

Write Right!
Creating an owner’s manual for a product sharpens students writing skills and their ability to communicate clearly and effectively. This activity also gives educators tips on producing both writing prompts and grading rubrics—and provides a rubric for use with the owner’s manual project.


Communications
Cereal Box Design
This interdisciplinary activity introduces students to graphic design; basic drawing; sketching and rendering; measuring area, volume and weight; oral and written technical communication; applied problem solving; marketing; consumer research; environmental education; recycling; and considerations of form, function, and aesthetics.

Digital Photography
Getting started with digital photography is easy. Using Photoshop Elements, a "lite" version of Photoshop, you can introduce your students to the subject with some good hands-on projects. Here are details on everything you need, plus activities with detailed step-by-step procedures.

Silk Screening Across the Curriculum
Teaching silk screening can integrate design, art, science and history in the technology education classroom. This activity provides ample background on the subject, along with step-by-step silk-screening procedures.


Construction Technology
Model Deck Construction
Background on the structural elements of decks, plus procedure for constructing scale model decks.

Toothpick Experiment: Investigating Construction Strength
Students experiment with the strength of various kinds of joints, then design and test bridges made from toothpicks.

General Challenges
Nineteen puzzlers to develop your students’ logical-thinking skills.


Design/Drafting
Project Gizmo
Students learn the design process used in industry and use CAD to create packaging for products of varying shapes.

Larry Bob's Blocks
Students learn how to make isometric and orthographic drawings and flat pattern layouts, then build a puzzle block using their new skills

Math Challenges
Twenty mathematical mind-benders that engage and enrage young minds.


Electricity/Electronics
Electronic Ear
With a few basic electronic components and a standard earphone, students explore the principles of sound amplification.

Building a Simple Jeopardy Circuit
Students design a real-life electronic circuit, using several methods of digital design, and overcome problems with interfacing digital designs with components outside the digital control.

Miniature Seesaw Project
Teaches Basic Electricity and Magnetism. Students build an electrically-operated seesaw that serves as an excellent model for visualizing magnetic repulsion and also helps with understanding the left-hand rule of current flow.


Grading/Rubrics
Industrial Technology Project Grading Rubric
Sample rubric you and your students can use as a guide to grade industrial technology projects.

Portfolio Grading System
Includes forms for students and tips on managing evaluations of students’ projects.

Rubrics for Drafting and Engineering Classes
Allows students to better evaluate their own performance. Includes tips on how to use the rubrics.


Manufacturing
Skateboard Project Really Rocks!
Students design, construct and decorate skateboards while learning about the machines and processes involved in working with plastics.

Mass Producing a Paper-Cup Dispenser
Teaches both mass-production procedures and woodworking skills.

Toy Truck Project
Uses inexpensive 2 x 4 lumber and is well suited for mass production


Power/Energy
Cookin' with Sun—Design and Build Solar Cookers
Hot dogs and marshmallows anyone? Bring together math, science and technology in an activity that teaches students about designing products that address human needs, along with issues related to health and the environment.

Skateboard Park
Introduce middle schoolers to the concepts of potential and kinetic energy and pendulums and their periods by having them design, construct and test a skateboard park. Includes test and project evaluation questions and directions for constructing eight different skateboard park components.

Wind Power & Wind Turbines
In this project for middle schoolers, students learn about torque, build and test their own wind turbines, learn to calculate kilowatts per hour and measure the power of their wind turbines.


Problem Solving
Cardboard Chair Design
Middle school project teaches modeling techniques, modeling materials, modeling as a part of the design process, teamwork and more.

Egg Bungee Jump!
Pre-engineering activity gives students experience with the value of risk, failure and serendipity; the role of calculation; and Newton’s laws of motion.

Katapultos: Teaching Basic Statistics with Ballistics
Increase math, science and technology correlations while giving students a fun way to collect and apply measurement data.


Substitute Teacher
General Challenges
From the best of the “More than Fun” archives! Nineteen puzzlers to develop your students’ logical-thinking skills. Includes two sheets of problems and two sheets of solutions. Perfect one-day project for you or a sub!

Factory Layout and Planning
Discusses the different advantages of process plants and product plants, and eight essential qualities of safe and maximally efficient factories. Middle schoolers then design their own toy factory layout. Project includes machine template, room patterns and accessories.

Problem Solving Discovery Days
These projects build students’ problem-solving skills, developing their use of creative logic, conflict resolution, organization and sound judgment in decision making. Perfect for middle schoolers. Includes 15 pages of handouts for six complete projects.


Transportation
Cardboard Wind Tunnel
Middle schoolers on a budget can make their own wind tunnel to test the aerodynamic qualities of CO2 racers.

Snap! Catch Students Attention with Mousetrap Vehicles
Teach physical science concepts by having students design, construct, test, evaluate and modify mousetrap cars—and airplanes!

Bat Wing Flyer: A Glider Challenge
Model gliders built from foam egg cartons introduce students to the parts of an airplane and teach balance for maximum flight performance.


Woodworking
Three-Piece Puzzle
In the course of making wooden puzzles, students learn about the various roles involved in industrial production (procurement, product engineering, process engineering, plant engineering, personnel management and administration), as well as about such concepts as prototype, quality control, and industrial safety.

Making a Laser Level
This project gives detailed procedure for constructing an inexpensive, very accurate level that incorporates a laser pointer.

Wooden Game Project
This lab activity makes an excellent mass-production project.


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