This Week in IED

In IED, we will continue learning to draw different styles of sketches used by engineers.  Next up is the multiview (orthogonal drawings) and more sketching practice.  Then, we will take a look at how some of our favorite items have changed over the years due to engineering design developments.

Every year, we send teams to the Texas A&M University Engineering Expo, this year named the Sparc Conference. Students will form teams and compete against each other and teams from other high schools around the state in two of six competitions. The conference is held this year on Saturday, November 22. If you are interested, talk to your friends and start forming a team of at least 6 but not more than 8 students. If you can't build a team of 6 on your own, I can add you to one of our other teams or combine smaller teams. Fill out this interest form so that I can register the teams. There is no cost to you to enter the contest or even transportation. We will provide a bus to take the teams to the A&M campus.



You can choose to compete in one of the following 6 competitoins:

• ReservWars - Challenge competitors to understand the structure and function of petroleum reservoirs, as well as how to “clean up” when the war is over (after an oil spill). 
• The Boat Float - Have you ever wondered how huge ships made of steel float in the water? Explore the principles of buoyancy and density by designing a boat that will float! 
• Galaxy Glider - Do you want to put your knowledge of airplanes and physics to the test? Then come and join the Galaxy Glider Contest. 
• Bottle Rocket Cars - Propel your way to the top of the bottle rocket car racing circuit! Design a car that is propelled by a fizzy reaction and watch it beat the clock! 
• Code to Survive - Survival is an unforgiving game, and it's your job to keep your organism alive. You must program a brain to gain competitive edge! 
• The Egg Express - Can you deliver the goods? Your engineering team must construct a casing for an egg that will withstand free fall to a hard surface from various heights, as well as have the capability to float. 

See me if you have any additional questions, but I need to register teams this week before registration fills up.

This Week at RRHS No special schedules this week; just the normal routine except that this is the last week of the first six weeks. Make sure that you are on top of all assignments and grades as I will need the weekend to get any work graded and entered before report cards come out next week. .

College Recruiter Visits This Week:
Monday - University of Alabama
Wednesday - Johns Hopkins
Friday - Southwestern University
               The University of Chicago

Check with the counselors' office to sign up if you are interested in speaking with representatives of one of these universities.

Week of Sep 22

This Week in IED
We will continue a study of different drawing techniques for 3-dimensional drawings by finishing isometric sketching first and then learning to draw one and two point perspective drawings.  Also, be sure that you are keeping your engineering journals up to date (table of contents; sign, date & number each page; put all notes and work in your journal, including any handouts that I give you.)  I will be checking journals this week.

Every year, we send teams to the Texas A&M University Engineering Expo, this year named the Sparc Conference.  Students will form teams and compete against each other and teams from other high schools around the state in two of six competitions.  The conference is held this year on Saturday, November 22.  If you are interested, talk to your friends and start forming a team of at least 6 but not more than 8 students.  If you can't build a team of 6 on your own, I can add you to one of our other teams or combine smaller teams.  Fill out this interest form so that I can register the teams.  There is no cost to you to enter the contest or even transportation.  We will provide a bus to take the teams to the A&M campus.

You can choose to compete in one of the following 6 competitoins:

• ReservWars - Challenge competitors to understand the structure and function of petroleum reservoirs, as well as how to “clean up” when the war is over (after an oil spill).
• The Boat Float - Have you ever wondered how huge ships made of steel float in the water? Explore the principles of buoyancy and density by designing a boat that will float! 
• Galaxy Glider - Do you want to put your knowledge of airplanes and physics to the test? Then come and join the Galaxy Glider Contest. 
• Bottle Rocket Cars - Propel your way to the top of the bottle rocket car racing circuit! Design a car that is propelled by a fizzy reaction and watch it beat the clock!
• Code to Survive - Survival is an unforgiving game, and it's your job to keep your organism alive. You must program a brain to gain competitive edge! 
• The Egg Express - Can you deliver the goods? Your engineering team must construct a casing for an egg that will withstand free fall to a hard surface from various heights, as well as have the capability to float. 

See me if you have any additional questions, but I need to register teams this week before registration fills up.

This Week at RRHS
No special schedules this week; just the normal routine.  However, be aware that this is the fifth week of our six weeks, which ends next Friday (October 3).  Make sure that you are on top of all assignments.

Monday - RRISD College & Career Fair at the RRHS cafeteria
                 Boise State University
Wednesday - University of Arkansas
                       Birmingham-Southern University
Thursday - Louisiana State Univeristy
                   University of New Hampshire
Friday - American University    

Check with the counselors' office to sign up if you are interested in speaking with representatives of one of these universities.

Week of Sep 15

This Week in IED
Now that we are finished with 3 weeks of school, it is time for progress reports that should be delivered to the students on Thursday.

IED students are completing research and a presentation on their favorite (and least favorite) field of engineering.  This presentation from class on Friday outlines what needs to be included and a list of web sites that you can use in your research.  Presentations may be in Powerpoint, Prezi, Google Slides, or another presentation media of your choosing as long as you clear it with me first.  After that, we will research the history of a common product, such as a television or automobile and make a presentation to the class on it.

Since CTE has duty every morning this week, I will not be available for tutorials except for after school hours.

Robotics Kick-off
If you are interested in Robotics, make plans to attend the kick-off meeting on Monday.   We need to organize who will be going to the kickoff event on Saturday (Sep 20) at Motorola in Oak Hill. I will provide bus transportation to the event, and we will load in front of the 100 bldg at 7:30 a.m. on Saturday and return about 4:00 p.m.  You MUST sign up to attend the event since Motorola is a secured facility.

This Week at RRHS
We will return to a normal schedule this week: no pep rallies or late starts.  However, be aware that there is a faculty meeting on Thursday, so I will not be available for tutorials.  Also, expect progress report cards to come home on Thursday.

College rep visits for this week:
Tuesday -  the Universtity of Texas
                  the University of Massachusets
                  Savanah College of Art and Design
Wednesday - California Baptist University
Friday - the University of Utah

Week of September 8

This week, we will continue studying the design process.  We will learn about writing design briefs and put the design process in to practice before studying different fields that are available to you in engineering.  Later, we will research the history of innovation of a product that you choose and make a presentation on how it has changed over the years.

This week at RRHS
Remember that RRHS' Open House is Monday evening and starts at 6:00 p.m. with a ribbon cutting ceremony of the A Plus Credit Union branch housed in our new 1300 building followed by a brief PTSA meeting.  Parents are invited to attend the evening and then visit our classrooms.  I look forward to meeting you and to discussing your child and our the year that we will have.

College Visits This Week
Tuesday - University of Dayton
Tuesday - Texas State University
Friday - Texas Tech