This Week in IED
The year is winding down, and we can see the EoC on the near horizon. All IED students will take the EoC exam on the computer at the end of next week (May 28 & 29). Look for the review to start at the end of this week. The good news is that this will count as your final exam.
In the mean time, we will wind down other activities, finishing the statistics lesson, updating portfolios one last time, and giving you a chance to complete any other designs that are still unfinished. You also may re-take the Inventor certification exam this week, but please make sure that you first complete some study and work to better understand the content that you missed.
Agendas for This Week
Monday-Tuesday: Statistics/Autodesk Certification
Wednesday-Thursday: Fling Machine
Friday-Monday: EoC Review
This Week at RRHS
As the end of the year draws near, there are a number of things that you need to attend to before we wrap up the year. First of all, an "obligation list" will be posted on Monday for any student who owes, dues, fines, or other financial obligations to the school. If you have outstanding obligations, you will not be allowed to exempt any exams. The obligations are due to be cleared and forms returned to Mrs. Perkins by Wednesday, so that the exemption forms can then be completed.
Following that, you will be able to pick up your exemption form in your alpha office. This form will need to be signed by the teachers for any class which you wish to exempt your final exam (not allowed for IED). These forms will need to be signed and returned to your alpha office by the deadline (next week).
There is a faculty meeting scheduled for Thursday morning, so there are no morning tutorials on Thursday. However, I will be in my room before and after school the remainder of the week.
All students who have a 1:1 laptop will return them this week in their world geography and world history periods.
Sunday, May 17, 2015
Sunday, May 10, 2015
Week of May
This Week in IED
We are nearing the end of this school year, but that doesn't mean that there is not much going on. We will finish up the statistics lesson this week and then finish the Autodesk Certification Testing that we began back in early April. Before long, it will be time to talk about final exam reviews.
Project Lead the Way (PLTW) requires that all students take the End of Course exam, and this counts as the final exam for IED. That means that you will not be able to exempt the exam this spring. We will take the EoC online the last 2 class days of the semester (May 28 & 29).
Agendas This Week
Monday: Applied Statistics
Tuesday-Wednesday: Model Creation
Thursday-Friday: Autodesk Certification Testing
This Week at RRHS
Thursday this week is a late start, and we will have advisory board meetings with other CTE groups. There will be no tutorials Thursday or Tuesday morning, but I should be good the rest of the week.
Look for information to come out soon regarding final exams and exemptions. Students may exempt an exam (not in IED, however), provided they (a) did not exempt the fall exam, (b) have an 85 or better semester average, (c) have not missed more than 3 class days in this semester, and (d) have paid all financial obligations that are due. You will need to pick up a form from the office that will have to be signed by your teachers in order to exempt.
Here is a link to the final exam schedule for this spring. Note that seniors will take their 4th & 8th period exams the week prior to final exams since graduation occurs the day before our last exams (8th period).
We are nearing the end of this school year, but that doesn't mean that there is not much going on. We will finish up the statistics lesson this week and then finish the Autodesk Certification Testing that we began back in early April. Before long, it will be time to talk about final exam reviews.
Project Lead the Way (PLTW) requires that all students take the End of Course exam, and this counts as the final exam for IED. That means that you will not be able to exempt the exam this spring. We will take the EoC online the last 2 class days of the semester (May 28 & 29).
Agendas This Week
Monday: Applied Statistics
Tuesday-Wednesday: Model Creation
Thursday-Friday: Autodesk Certification Testing
This Week at RRHS
Thursday this week is a late start, and we will have advisory board meetings with other CTE groups. There will be no tutorials Thursday or Tuesday morning, but I should be good the rest of the week.
Look for information to come out soon regarding final exams and exemptions. Students may exempt an exam (not in IED, however), provided they (a) did not exempt the fall exam, (b) have an 85 or better semester average, (c) have not missed more than 3 class days in this semester, and (d) have paid all financial obligations that are due. You will need to pick up a form from the office that will have to be signed by your teachers in order to exempt.
Here is a link to the final exam schedule for this spring. Note that seniors will take their 4th & 8th period exams the week prior to final exams since graduation occurs the day before our last exams (8th period).
Sunday, April 26, 2015
Week of April 27
This Week in IED
IED students will finish up the study of tolerances through Wednesday, and then you will have a chance to build a pendant for your Mother for Mothers' Day. We will be printing your designs, if you wish, on the 3d printer and can even print in color.
Be sure that you have completed the dimension activity (printed and turned in to me) and the section view activity. I will also be reviewing journals this week, which is the last week before progress reports are issued.
IED Agendas for the Week:
Monday + Tuesday & Wednesday: Tolerances
Thursday & Friday: Mothers' Day Pendant Designs
This Week at RRHS
There are no special schedules set up for this week, but things are starting to move quickly as we near the end of the year. Freshmen will have their awards ceremony this week on Monday morning at 8:00 a.m. in the 100 bldg gym. The ceremony for sophomores & juniors will be Tuesday at 8:00 a.m., also in the 100 bldg gym. The senior awards ceremony will be held later in May (May 18 6:30 p.m.), so be sure to put that date on your calendar.
EoC and AP testing will start up next week (May 4), which will affect our schedules as large numbers of students will be out from day-to day.
Also, look for information to be coming out soon regarding final exams and exemptions. In IED, all students will take the EoC exam, which will count as our final, the week prior to scheduled final exams. Final exam exemptions for engineering courses are not allowed. The good news is that you can qualify for college credit at Rochester Institute of Technology, the University of Texas at Tyler, Texas A&M Univeristy-Kingsville and others based on your performance in IED and the EoC exam.
College Visits This Week
Tuesday - Santa Fe University of Art and Design
IED students will finish up the study of tolerances through Wednesday, and then you will have a chance to build a pendant for your Mother for Mothers' Day. We will be printing your designs, if you wish, on the 3d printer and can even print in color.
Be sure that you have completed the dimension activity (printed and turned in to me) and the section view activity. I will also be reviewing journals this week, which is the last week before progress reports are issued.
IED Agendas for the Week:
Monday + Tuesday & Wednesday: Tolerances
Thursday & Friday: Mothers' Day Pendant Designs
This Week at RRHS
There are no special schedules set up for this week, but things are starting to move quickly as we near the end of the year. Freshmen will have their awards ceremony this week on Monday morning at 8:00 a.m. in the 100 bldg gym. The ceremony for sophomores & juniors will be Tuesday at 8:00 a.m., also in the 100 bldg gym. The senior awards ceremony will be held later in May (May 18 6:30 p.m.), so be sure to put that date on your calendar.
EoC and AP testing will start up next week (May 4), which will affect our schedules as large numbers of students will be out from day-to day.
Also, look for information to be coming out soon regarding final exams and exemptions. In IED, all students will take the EoC exam, which will count as our final, the week prior to scheduled final exams. Final exam exemptions for engineering courses are not allowed. The good news is that you can qualify for college credit at Rochester Institute of Technology, the University of Texas at Tyler, Texas A&M Univeristy-Kingsville and others based on your performance in IED and the EoC exam.
College Visits This Week
Tuesday - Santa Fe University of Art and Design
Friday, April 17, 2015
Week of April 20
This Week in IED
IED classes will continue to study how engineers document their designs. We revisited dimensioning last week and got started looking at section views, which will continue in to Monday & Tuesday of this week. Then, we will learn about tolerances that are inherent in any engineering design and begin to wrap up this unit.
Down the road, we will revisit the certification testing to give you an opportunity to add an Autodesk Inventor (R) certified user to your resume and work on a group project to design a miniature golf course. The end is near!
Agendas for this Week:
Monday-Tuesday: Section views continued
Wednesday - Thursday: Tolerances
Field Trips/Conferences
This Thursday is the deadline to sign up for two exciting field trips available to engineering students. Cedar Ridge High School will host the 4th annual Youth in STEM conference this Saturday (THIS Saturday, April 25). It is from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. and doesn't cost anything to you. There will be several companies there to demonstrate the exciting and new things that engineers are doing in their work. There are also several exhibitions to allow attendants to get their hands dirty with engineering, game design, robotics, drones, and much more. Below is a partial list of the some of the exhibits that will be there. Bring some canned food to donate to the local food bank for a chance to win an iPad or a Lego Mindstorms kit.
Other than a faculty meeting Thursday morning, it is a pretty normal week. Even Thursday will follow the normal bell schedule, but there will be no Thursday morning tutorials before school because of the meeting.
This is now the last "six" weeks of the year. Although, it is really 8 weeks long. Things get really busy from here on, so keep on top of things. Starting May 4, AP and STARR (or EoC) testing will cover two weeks and affect a number of our classes. Not long after that, you should look for exemption information and start preparations for the final exams.
College Recruiter Visits
Wednesday - The University of Houston
IED classes will continue to study how engineers document their designs. We revisited dimensioning last week and got started looking at section views, which will continue in to Monday & Tuesday of this week. Then, we will learn about tolerances that are inherent in any engineering design and begin to wrap up this unit.
Down the road, we will revisit the certification testing to give you an opportunity to add an Autodesk Inventor (R) certified user to your resume and work on a group project to design a miniature golf course. The end is near!
Agendas for this Week:
Monday-Tuesday: Section views continued
Wednesday - Thursday: Tolerances
Field Trips/Conferences
- Dell Alienware – Gaming Technology
- GeekBus (STEM mobile trailer out of San Antonio) - http://www.geekbus.com/
- Steve Wolf (“Science in the Movies”) - http://www.scienceinthemovies.com/
- KingsIsle Entertainment (Gaming Software) - https://www.kingsisle.com/
- Flat Iron Pre-College Academy (Drones) - http://precollege.flatironschool.com/
- AT&T (Fiber Optics)
- Texas A&M (Engineering)
- ACC (Gaming, Electronics, Auto Cad, and Computer Science)
- Texas Board of Professional Engineers (Professional Organization)
You must sign up by Thursday at the latest at the conference web site.
Then, on May 12, we will take 20 students to visit Samsung's Austin Semiconductor plant. It is a fascinating trip, and students always enjoy the day. You will get a chance to peek inside of an operating, fully-automated modern semiconductor plant, interact with their engineers to find out about engineering and college, tour the museum on the history of semiconductors (aka electronics or computers), and get fed a good meal. There is no cost to you. Just sign up (below), turn in your permission forms, and meet us at school on the morning of May 12. We will take you to Samsung and return to campus around 2:00. You will miss 1st, 2nd, & 3rd periods and should be back before 4th period starts. That is the day of the French Language, Spanish Literature, or the US Government AP exam, so you won't be able to go if you are taking those.
This Week at RRHSThen, on May 12, we will take 20 students to visit Samsung's Austin Semiconductor plant. It is a fascinating trip, and students always enjoy the day. You will get a chance to peek inside of an operating, fully-automated modern semiconductor plant, interact with their engineers to find out about engineering and college, tour the museum on the history of semiconductors (aka electronics or computers), and get fed a good meal. There is no cost to you. Just sign up (below), turn in your permission forms, and meet us at school on the morning of May 12. We will take you to Samsung and return to campus around 2:00. You will miss 1st, 2nd, & 3rd periods and should be back before 4th period starts. That is the day of the French Language, Spanish Literature, or the US Government AP exam, so you won't be able to go if you are taking those.
Other than a faculty meeting Thursday morning, it is a pretty normal week. Even Thursday will follow the normal bell schedule, but there will be no Thursday morning tutorials before school because of the meeting.
This is now the last "six" weeks of the year. Although, it is really 8 weeks long. Things get really busy from here on, so keep on top of things. Starting May 4, AP and STARR (or EoC) testing will cover two weeks and affect a number of our classes. Not long after that, you should look for exemption information and start preparations for the final exams.
College Recruiter Visits
Wednesday - The University of Houston
Saturday, April 11, 2015
Week of April 13
This Week in IED
It is hard to believe that we are now beginning the last grading period of this year! It certainly goes by fast. Of course, it is really 8 weeks, but that includes the finals week as well as a week of preparation for finals. We will take or EoC (final) exam the week prior to "finals week", and everyone must take the EoC for engineering as a requirement of our curriculum. Look for information regarding finals, exemptions and more to come out in the next few weeks.
Also, the beginning of May is what we could refer to as "test season" as core subjects have their EoC exams and many of the AP exams. That always makes for some interesting planning and means that the 8 weeks of this grading period will not be 8 full weeks of new material.
We continue our study of documentation information that engineers use to communicate to each other, technicians, and other interested parties. We started with the review of dimensioning techniques and will learn how to see "inside" of a complicated part using something called section views. On Thursday & Friday, we will learn that nothing is ever made to the exact dimension that we think that it is. Tolerances are a part of every manufacturing process and must be understood in order to make robust designs.
Agendas:
Monday: Finish Dimensioning & update portfolio
Tuesday-Wednesday: Section Views
Thursday-Friday: Tolerances
RRISD will host the 4th annual Youth in STEM conference at Cedar Ridge High School on April 25 (Saturday) from 9 a.m. - 1 p.m. Engineering students from all over our district will come together for a Youth in STEM conference & fair. Vendors will be there to show the kinds of things that engineers are doing right now and what you can look forward to after graduating from college with that engineering degree. You will get to visit with students from other RRISD high schools to gather ideas about their programs, and prizes (like a iPad or a Lego Mindstorm kit) will be provided. You must sign up at the conference web site so that they will have enough lunches for everyone. Since it is most of the day, lunch will be provided. There is no charge for any of the activities or lunch.
If you are interested in the Samsung trip May 12, you MUST sign up on this form and also bring me your signed permission form. Students must have signatures from parents as well as teachers to notify me that you are passing your classes and have permission of everyone to attend. You will miss 1st - 3rd periods that day, if you can attend. The trip is well worth the time and very valuable to your education and exposure to the high tech field.
This Week at RRHS
Thursday will be a late start, so plan for school to start at 9:25 instead off the usual 9:08. Report cards for the 5th six weeks will be given out during 2nd period.
It is hard to believe that we are now beginning the last grading period of this year! It certainly goes by fast. Of course, it is really 8 weeks, but that includes the finals week as well as a week of preparation for finals. We will take or EoC (final) exam the week prior to "finals week", and everyone must take the EoC for engineering as a requirement of our curriculum. Look for information regarding finals, exemptions and more to come out in the next few weeks.
Also, the beginning of May is what we could refer to as "test season" as core subjects have their EoC exams and many of the AP exams. That always makes for some interesting planning and means that the 8 weeks of this grading period will not be 8 full weeks of new material.
We continue our study of documentation information that engineers use to communicate to each other, technicians, and other interested parties. We started with the review of dimensioning techniques and will learn how to see "inside" of a complicated part using something called section views. On Thursday & Friday, we will learn that nothing is ever made to the exact dimension that we think that it is. Tolerances are a part of every manufacturing process and must be understood in order to make robust designs.
Agendas:
Monday: Finish Dimensioning & update portfolio
Tuesday-Wednesday: Section Views
Thursday-Friday: Tolerances
RRISD will host the 4th annual Youth in STEM conference at Cedar Ridge High School on April 25 (Saturday) from 9 a.m. - 1 p.m. Engineering students from all over our district will come together for a Youth in STEM conference & fair. Vendors will be there to show the kinds of things that engineers are doing right now and what you can look forward to after graduating from college with that engineering degree. You will get to visit with students from other RRISD high schools to gather ideas about their programs, and prizes (like a iPad or a Lego Mindstorm kit) will be provided. You must sign up at the conference web site so that they will have enough lunches for everyone. Since it is most of the day, lunch will be provided. There is no charge for any of the activities or lunch.
If you are interested in the Samsung trip May 12, you MUST sign up on this form and also bring me your signed permission form. Students must have signatures from parents as well as teachers to notify me that you are passing your classes and have permission of everyone to attend. You will miss 1st - 3rd periods that day, if you can attend. The trip is well worth the time and very valuable to your education and exposure to the high tech field.
This Week at RRHS
Thursday will be a late start, so plan for school to start at 9:25 instead off the usual 9:08. Report cards for the 5th six weeks will be given out during 2nd period.
Sunday, March 29, 2015
Week of March 30
This week in IED
We will finish the train by assembling your train on Monday-Tuesday. If you want it printed, and it meets all requirements, then create an STL file and save in your I: drive. I will print a 1/2 scale model of your assembled train on the 3d printer for you to take home. To create the STL file:
We will finish the train by assembling your train on Monday-Tuesday. If you want it printed, and it meets all requirements, then create an STL file and save in your I: drive. I will print a 1/2 scale model of your assembled train on the 3d printer for you to take home. To create the STL file:
- Open the completed assembly.
- Choose Export and then CAD File.
- Select STL from the Save File As... list.
- Select Options and change the units box from centimeters to inches.
- Press OK or Save.
Because of the testing for all freshmen and sophomores on Monday & Wednesday and the Friday holiday, we will be doing the same lesson on both days this week. Most of the students in IED A day will only be in class once this week. Once we finish the train, we will go in to Unit 7 and learn about special drawing types: section views and auxiliary views.
Agendas for this week:
Monday-Tuesday: Assembly/Finish Train
Wednesday-Thursday: Assembly/Finish Train
Friday: Holiday
This week at RRHS
Freshmen will take the English I EoC on Monday, and Sophomores will take the English II EoC on Wednesday. Other than the Good Friday holiday this Friday, it is a normal week. Note that some CTE teachers will have duty this week in the mornings and may not be available for tutorial hours.
This is the next to the last week of this six weeks, which was actually seven weeks long. The end of the grading period is April 10, which is when you will need to have all make-up work turned in. April starts to get hectic with Eoc and AP testing coming towards the end of the month and in to May, but that signals that the end of this school year is near.
Sunday, March 22, 2015
Week of March 23
This Week in IED
We continue working on the train project this week. If you are caught up, you are free to help others by sharing your knowledge with them. You should already have completed the engine body, and we will work on the revolve parts this week. By the end of the week, you should have completed:
This Week at RRHS
Report cards were given out during 2nd period right before spring break. Note that this week actually has 7 weeks in it, so we still have 3 weeks before the end of the grading period, which will be April 10.
As far as this week goes, Wednesday is scheduled as a pep rally schedule. It was originally scheduled for our ice day and has been rescheduled. On pep rally schedule, the 5th and 6rh periods are shortened by 10 minutes or so, and 8th period will be dismissed early so that students can attend the pep rally that begins at 3:30. Thursday is also a faculty meeting. The day's schedule will be normal, but all teachers will be in the meeting, so no tutorials are available for Thursday morning.
College Visits This Week:
Thursday will be a busy day this week as Bradley University, Texas State University, and the University of Arkansas will all be on campus to visit with students interested in attending those universities. Get with your counselor to make an appointment if you want to learn more about one of these universities.
We continue working on the train project this week. If you are caught up, you are free to help others by sharing your knowledge with them. You should already have completed the engine body, and we will work on the revolve parts this week. By the end of the week, you should have completed:
- Engine Body
- Smokestack
- Hitch Peg
- Axle Peg
- Hitch Magnet
- Linkage
- Cow Catcher
Also, make sure that you review your designs to ensure that they are correct. All of the arcs on the pegs should be centered on the axis of rotation. All points should be located in 2 dimensions (constrained). Note that, with the more complex shapes, the focus would be on locating the endpoints of the lines (and sometimes the arcs) and locating the centers of circles and arcs.
Agendas for this week:
Monday: (continue from Friday March 13) Finish Apollo 13 & continue train
Tuesday: Continue Train - smokestack and hitch peg
Thursday: Continue Train - axle peg, magnet, and linkage
This Week at RRHS
Report cards were given out during 2nd period right before spring break. Note that this week actually has 7 weeks in it, so we still have 3 weeks before the end of the grading period, which will be April 10.
As far as this week goes, Wednesday is scheduled as a pep rally schedule. It was originally scheduled for our ice day and has been rescheduled. On pep rally schedule, the 5th and 6rh periods are shortened by 10 minutes or so, and 8th period will be dismissed early so that students can attend the pep rally that begins at 3:30. Thursday is also a faculty meeting. The day's schedule will be normal, but all teachers will be in the meeting, so no tutorials are available for Thursday morning.
College Visits This Week:
Thursday will be a busy day this week as Bradley University, Texas State University, and the University of Arkansas will all be on campus to visit with students interested in attending those universities. Get with your counselor to make an appointment if you want to learn more about one of these universities.
Sunday, March 8, 2015
Week of March 9
This Week in IEDThe end of last week messed up the schedule just a little bit. We will now do the Design Brief activity, using the Apollo 13 movie as a case study on Monday & Tuesday and then begin the train project. Before and after spring break, students will create an Inventor model of an old-fashioned train engine. Those models that are fully constrained and meet the design criteria can be printed on the 3d printer, so you will have a physical model of your work on this project.
Agendas:
Monday-Tuesday: Apollo 13 Design Brief
Wednesday-Thursday: Train Project
Friday - Monday: Train Project Continued
This Week at RRHS
I probably don't have to tell you that this is the last week before spring break! Let's work hard and stay on top of things so that we can all enjoy a much-needed week off. I hope that you all have fun plans for your break.
Being the 4th week of the six weeks, Interim Progress Reports will be distributed this Friday, just before the break. Look for those to come home so that you can be aware of any issues that need to be addressed once you come back. After the break, we will still have 3 more weeks because this six weeks actually is seven weeks long. The end of the reporting period is April 10.
Thursday will be a late start for students as teachers will be in a department meeting. There will be no tutorials Thursday morning, and 5th period will begin at 9:25.
College Visits This Week:
Thursday: Texas A&M Corps of Cadets Information Session
Sunday, March 1, 2015
Week of March 2
This Week in IED
Students need to complete their Reverse Engineering presentations on Monday and be ready to present on Tuesday/Wednesday. Remember to review your presentation for spelling and grammatical errors so that you have it perfect. Also, be sure that the presentation is upoaded to Canvas (assignment 6.5). Only one of the two of you (in the group) need to submit it.
After Reverse Engineering, we will look at how to create a design brief, using some of the engineering challenges aboard the Apollo 13 space flight back in 1970. The next thing we will work on is the Train Project, where you will design a model train engine using Inventor. If you want a tangible result of your design work, you will be allowed to print your design on the 3d printer.
Agendas:
Monday (5th period): Finish Presentations
Tuesday-Wednesday: Present Reverse Engineering Presentations
Thursday-Friday: Assignment 7.6 Apollo 13 Design Brief
This Week at RRHS
This is the 3rd week of this grading period, which means that - even though there are really 4 weeks left in the period in addition to spring break - grades will be taken at the end of this week. All make-up assignments need to be complete by then so that we can send our progress reports next week.
Also, Thursday is scheduled to be a pep rally schedule.
College Visits This Week
Tuesday: Marine Information Session
Wednesday: University of Texas (for top 10% juniors and accepted seniors)
Texas A&M University (for top 10%)
Students need to complete their Reverse Engineering presentations on Monday and be ready to present on Tuesday/Wednesday. Remember to review your presentation for spelling and grammatical errors so that you have it perfect. Also, be sure that the presentation is upoaded to Canvas (assignment 6.5). Only one of the two of you (in the group) need to submit it.
After Reverse Engineering, we will look at how to create a design brief, using some of the engineering challenges aboard the Apollo 13 space flight back in 1970. The next thing we will work on is the Train Project, where you will design a model train engine using Inventor. If you want a tangible result of your design work, you will be allowed to print your design on the 3d printer.
Agendas:
Monday (5th period): Finish Presentations
Tuesday-Wednesday: Present Reverse Engineering Presentations
Thursday-Friday: Assignment 7.6 Apollo 13 Design Brief
This Week at RRHS
This is the 3rd week of this grading period, which means that - even though there are really 4 weeks left in the period in addition to spring break - grades will be taken at the end of this week. All make-up assignments need to be complete by then so that we can send our progress reports next week.
Also, Thursday is scheduled to be a pep rally schedule.
College Visits This Week
Tuesday: Marine Information Session
Wednesday: University of Texas (for top 10% juniors and accepted seniors)
Texas A&M University (for top 10%)
Sunday, February 22, 2015
Week of Feb 23
This week in IED
You should have finished up the visual analysis in your journal and the density lab. Be sure that you complete the calculations from the data that we recorded in your journals last week and have that in your journals by class this week.
This week, we will reverse engineer parts that you can bring from home. You will disassemble the items, so make sure that they are easily taken apart and put back together again. In the process, you will examine how they are made, what kinds of materials and methods are used, and then how the item is supposed to function. You will need these items in class Monday through Thursday so that you can complete a good structural and functional study of them.
Criteria for your items are:
You should have finished up the visual analysis in your journal and the density lab. Be sure that you complete the calculations from the data that we recorded in your journals last week and have that in your journals by class this week.
This week, we will reverse engineer parts that you can bring from home. You will disassemble the items, so make sure that they are easily taken apart and put back together again. In the process, you will examine how they are made, what kinds of materials and methods are used, and then how the item is supposed to function. You will need these items in class Monday through Thursday so that you can complete a good structural and functional study of them.
Criteria for your items are:
- Easily disassembled and put back together again.
- Contain 5-10 or so separate pieces.
- The item should perform some type of mechanical function. All electronic items, such as smart phones, are not good items. They are not easy to take apart, and they have very little mechanical action (motion, leverage, etc.) to analyze.
- Good items from the past include a mechanical sprinkler head, pliers, mechanical pencil, game controller joystick (buttons and joysticks are mechanical motion). Many others are possible.
This week's agendas:
Monday-Tuesday - Structural Analysis
Wednesday-Thursday - Functional Analysis
This Week at RRHS
It is hard to believe that we are already 1 week in to the FIFTH six weeks of this year. I know that there are really more than 12 weeks left, but the year is far more than half over by now. These last few months will go quickly. Before you know it, we will be talking about the End of Course exam, where you can qualify for college credit for the time you have spent in IED through UT Tyler, Texas A&M Kingsville and other national colleges.
Your course selections are due to your counselor on Tuesday. The next course in the engineering sequence is Principles of Engineering (PoE). After that, you can choose from the current offering of specilization courses that we offer:
- Digital Electronics - Study how modern digital circuits (the kind that run your cell phone, automobile, traffic lights for the city and much, much more) operate. Learn to design some simple digital circuits; analyze how they operate; and trouble-shoot complex systems that do not work as designed.
- Civil Engineering & Architecture - Learn about these 2 broad fields. Civil Engineers concern themselves with a wide array of societal problems that deal with how we live safely and prosper as a community. We will learn how engineers design building structure to withstand all of the forces that get applied to it; how they determine how heat is transferred through walls and design air conditioning systems to keep us comfortable; how construction affects area flooding and what can be done to control it. Architects are concerned with the aesthitic (how it looks) and functional use of the space. You will learn to design buildings from a simple shed to a large community library using Autodesk Revit, just the way that licensed professional architects do.
- Aerospace Engineering - Learn how aircraft are able to fly through the air and even rockets fly through space. In addition to studying the equations that govern flight, you will learn how to pilot an airplane and design your own glider and rocket and then test how well your design works. At the end of the year, you will learn about the complex network of satellites that bring you your favorite television show, allow you to talk on a cell phone, and so much more.
If you have any questions about the topics covered in these classes or the sequence, please see me.
All juniors at RRHS will take the SAT test on Wednesday, but the rest of the week should follow a fairly normal schedule.
College Visits This Week
Thursday - Texas A&M at Corpus Christi
Sunday, February 15, 2015
Week of Feb 16
This Week in IED
If you are attending the Edison Lecture, be sure to be at the 700 bus loop by 10:15 Tuesday morning. We will return by 2:00, so you will be back for C lunch on campus.
IED classes will update their portfolios with the recent Inventor designs as well as correct the formatting. Remember that the structure should be:
This week at RRHS
It is hard to believe that this is the start of the FIFTH six weeks. It always seems fast, but this year seems to have flown by even faster than most. (Of course, it is a little deceiving since these grading periods are a little more than six weeks long.) Look for report cards to come home this week.
Normal schedule this week at RRHS - no late starts or pep rally schedules. I should be available for tutorials in my room each afternoon and each morning except for Thursday, when we have a faculty meeting scheduled.
College Visits This Week
Thursday - The University of Texas at Dallas
Friday - The University of Texas at Arlington (good engineering school)
If you are attending the Edison Lecture, be sure to be at the 700 bus loop by 10:15 Tuesday morning. We will return by 2:00, so you will be back for C lunch on campus.
IED classes will update their portfolios with the recent Inventor designs as well as correct the formatting. Remember that the structure should be:
- Main page (About You)
- IED
Engineering Field Presentation
Product Innovation Presentation
Sketches
Puzzle Cube
CAD Modelling (add this one this week) - Other Engineering Classes
Be sure that you have detailed descriptions of these assignments for what you were supposed to do and what you learned to do as a result. Remember that the audience is not me but a future recruiter who wants to know about your abilities. They will likely not be familiar with our class and need to know what the assignment was about and how you improved your skills as a result.
Thursday and Friday, we will conduct some experiments to calculate density of some irregular shapes.
Reverse Engineering
Following that, we will continue working on the Reverse Engineering project by doing a structural analysis (how it is built) and functional analysis (how it works), which will occur next week.
Reverse Engineering
Following that, we will continue working on the Reverse Engineering project by doing a structural analysis (how it is built) and functional analysis (how it works), which will occur next week.
I did not complete the journal check this weekend but will do so this week. Be sure that you have things up to date and add the visual analysis charts from last week (and this week) to your journal. Remember that a journal should be a daily digest of your work and not just notes that you take for class.
Semi High Tech U
Semi High Tech U is an excellent opportunity for a few fortunate students to interact with high-tech industry engineers and see how what they are doing at school relates to highly demanding and rewarding jobs in the semiconductor industry. It is 3 fun-filled and intense days of activity, tours, interactions with engineers and more that help to reinforce your understanding of the basic STEM concepts. It would require you attending all 3 days (away from school), so you would have to make up the work that you will miss. However, it is counted as a school-related activity, so it won't affect your exemption eligibility. If you are interested, you need to apply at the Semi web site as soon as possible. The application and selection
This week at RRHS
It is hard to believe that this is the start of the FIFTH six weeks. It always seems fast, but this year seems to have flown by even faster than most. (Of course, it is a little deceiving since these grading periods are a little more than six weeks long.) Look for report cards to come home this week.
Normal schedule this week at RRHS - no late starts or pep rally schedules. I should be available for tutorials in my room each afternoon and each morning except for Thursday, when we have a faculty meeting scheduled.
College Visits This Week
Thursday - The University of Texas at Dallas
Friday - The University of Texas at Arlington (good engineering school)
Sunday, February 8, 2015
Week of Feb 8
This week in IED
All Inventor work should be finished by now. If you have not finished any of the parts from unit 5, please come in to tutorials this week to complete all of your work. Tuesday and Wednesday in class will include a test on part creation from Inventor before moving on to the Reverse Engineering unit, beginning with visual and then functional analysis.
Update your notebooks for a journal check this week. You should have the portfolio instructions and the calculating properties of shapes. Be sure to sign, date, and number all of your pages as well.
CTE has duty this week, so I will not be available for morning tutorials. I will be here, however, every afternoon. You can work on Inventor in Mrs. Saksena's room 603, if you need to work in the morning.
Agendas:
Tuesday - Inventor Quiz + Visual Design Elements & Principles
Thursday - Visual Design Elements - Automoblox
You can download a copy of Inventor for academic use at the Autodesk web site. The program is very graphic intensive, but many home computers are capable of running it. Be aware that it takes several hours to download and install.
Edison Lecture
On Feb 17, next Tuesday, engineering students can attend the Edison Lecture Series at UT. The buses will leave RRHS at 10:15 so that you will have time to visit UT engineering students and faculty showing off their current projects and activities. Following that, we will attend the lecture on the topic of Big Data, which I can only guess has to do with the technology of storing data; how that has changed; and how it has enabled much of the technology we know today. We should return to campus in time for C lunch (2:00).
If you are interested, be sure that you sign up on this form, so that I have the needed information. You also need to complete the RRISD permission form, which requires signatures from your parents, teachers, and yourself. You can print the linked copy or get one from me.
This week at RRHS
This is the final week of the 4th six weeks. The year is really flying by quickly. Be sure that you have all work caught up and turned in to me by Friday so that I have time to get it graded before grades are due next Tuesday morning.
College Recruiting Visits
Tuesday - Oregon State
Wednesday - US Navy
See your counselor for specific information or to sign up.
All Inventor work should be finished by now. If you have not finished any of the parts from unit 5, please come in to tutorials this week to complete all of your work. Tuesday and Wednesday in class will include a test on part creation from Inventor before moving on to the Reverse Engineering unit, beginning with visual and then functional analysis.
Update your notebooks for a journal check this week. You should have the portfolio instructions and the calculating properties of shapes. Be sure to sign, date, and number all of your pages as well.
CTE has duty this week, so I will not be available for morning tutorials. I will be here, however, every afternoon. You can work on Inventor in Mrs. Saksena's room 603, if you need to work in the morning.
Agendas:
Tuesday - Inventor Quiz + Visual Design Elements & Principles
Thursday - Visual Design Elements - Automoblox
You can download a copy of Inventor for academic use at the Autodesk web site. The program is very graphic intensive, but many home computers are capable of running it. Be aware that it takes several hours to download and install.
Edison Lecture
On Feb 17, next Tuesday, engineering students can attend the Edison Lecture Series at UT. The buses will leave RRHS at 10:15 so that you will have time to visit UT engineering students and faculty showing off their current projects and activities. Following that, we will attend the lecture on the topic of Big Data, which I can only guess has to do with the technology of storing data; how that has changed; and how it has enabled much of the technology we know today. We should return to campus in time for C lunch (2:00).
If you are interested, be sure that you sign up on this form, so that I have the needed information. You also need to complete the RRISD permission form, which requires signatures from your parents, teachers, and yourself. You can print the linked copy or get one from me.
This week at RRHS
This is the final week of the 4th six weeks. The year is really flying by quickly. Be sure that you have all work caught up and turned in to me by Friday so that I have time to get it graded before grades are due next Tuesday morning.
College Recruiting Visits
Tuesday - Oregon State
Wednesday - US Navy
See your counselor for specific information or to sign up.
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