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.
