Fifth Grade Typing

The fifth grade students are right in the middle of their typing skills unit. By using typing.com, the students are practicing their typing and seeing improvement!

While typing is an extremely important skill, it can also be tedious. However, the students have been

very motivated to challenge themselves through the process! Many students are forcing themselves not to look at their hands on the keyboard, but rather the screen, to improve their speed. Many students are memorizing where the different keys are, so that they can improve their accuracy as well. While students are finding it difficult to use different fingers for different keys, many are rising to the challenge!

This is a very important, and transferable skill that can lead directly to skills needed in the workforce. Improving typing will help student's speed and efficiency while on the computer, and save them time while working on larger papers and projects in the future!

Be sure to check out our twitter (@MrHron) for more updates!

Apocalypse Machines

Students have chosen their groups for the upcoming Apocalypse Machines project.

In the Apocalypse Machines project, students are given a scenario. They have become leaders of a colony, attempting to survive a fantastical apocalypse (zombies, radiation, etc.). The students, using their understanding of gears and mechanisms, will need to build different survival machines for their colony that will either focus on medicine, survival, science, or defense. The challenge is for them to create enough machines to make it through the apocalypse!

This scenario helps the students bridge the gap between creating, and designing. Previously, the students have been using the pieces to create mechanisms from pictures. Now, students will be creating and following their own designs for these machines. It’s challenging – sure. But the students are up for the challenge!

Be sure to stay tuned in with twitter (@MrHron) for more updates!

Designing Commercials

One group's research and ideas so far.

The students have begun building commercials! Over the next few weeks, the students will begin research and designing commercials for a product they created. One of the biggest challenges for sixth grade students is to create a commercial targeted at a specific audience (like parents, or kids). It is sometimes challenging for students to see commercials from other perspectives, but I am confident the students will rise to the challenge.

Once the students are finished designing and researching their commercial, they will learn how to use professional-level video editing software. This too will be challenging, but the students will be learning transferable technology skills throughout the process, and completing spectacular commercials by the end of it all.

Be sure to stay tuned in with twitter (@MrHron) for more updates!

Technology Impact on the Environment

The seventh grade students are almost complete with their second design of the year! The students have been researching how an emerging technology impacts the environment (either positively or negatively). The students will then create a presentation of some sort (like a movie, slideshow, or poster) to share the information they have found.

The projects are mostly complete, have been shared with the class, and are turned in. A few students challenged themselves by sending interview questions to the professional engineers building their technology. Several students were even able to receive answers! The presentations look great, and the students have learned a lot since the beginning of the year in September.

Check out twitter (@MrHron) for more updates!

Designing Presentations

Two example student slides so far.

The fifth grade students are in the middle of their presentations! Previously, the students have chosen a topic they are interested in (like dancing, art, stopping bullying, basketball etc.). The students have
finished researching their topic, and are now planning the design of their presentation. Over the next few class periods, the students will be creating a presentation that highlights their research.

After winter break, the students will be completing their presentations, and the presentations will be shared among the class. Students will be able to watch, and learn, from all the hard work each of them has put in to this project.

Be sure to check out our twitter (@MrHron) for more updates!

Beginning with Mechanisms

With two complex designs complete, the 8^th grade students are moving on to even more difficult, yet exciting opportunities. The 8^th grade students have just started working with mechanisms.

Over the next week, the 8^th grade students will be getting a short introduction to mechanisms, what they are, and how they work. The week before winter break, the students will begin to build simple mechanisms with starter kits, and use their new knowledge to accomplish small tasks in class.

Following winter break, the mechanism doors will be pulled wide open. Students will begin using mechanisms to build a number of different types of mechanisms, each more complex than the last. This will lead the students to building more complex machines and, eventually, robots.

Be sure to stay tuned in with twitter (@MrHron) for more updates!

Hot Air Balloons

The sixth grade students have been getting a little bit more skill practice, before beginning to work on their hot air balloons. Similar to the kite projects, the students will be split into groups, where they will begin creating their hot air balloons!

 

Previously, the focus was on collaboration within the group. However, the sixth grade students all have different levels of experience when it comes to group work. For the hot air balloons, the

students will continue working on collaboration, but another focus will be cooperative work. The scope of skills will need to be widened to accommodate the various levels of experience each student has with group work.

So far, the accommodations have been working great. The students are working hard in their groups and the hot air balloons are coming along nicely. One group has already almost completed their hot air balloon, a week ahead of schedule! They will be testing and flying their hot air balloon soon.