MIDDLE SCHOOL
7th & 8th GRADE TECHNOLOGY
WHAT IS TECHNOLOGY
?
Technology is a body of knowledge devoted to creating tools, processing actions and extracting of materials. The term ‘Technology” is wide and everyone has their own way of understanding the meaning of technology. We use technology to accomplish various tasks in our daily lives, in brief; we can describe technology as products, processes or organizations. We use technology to extend our abilities, and that makes people as the most important part of any technological system. It’s very cool stuff!!
Technology education is an action based program for all students that requires students to use resources to design, produce, use, and assess the impacts of products and services that extend human potential to improve and control the natural and human made environment.
WHAT IS TECHNOLOGY EDUCATION
?
THE NUTS AND BOLTS
The middle school technology program at the Lake Placid Middle School is an exciting, activity-based experience for our students. Each grade level earns 1/4 of a unit for the year. The students will have Technology every day for 10 weeks.
In 7th grade we learn to solve problems using tools and machines (engineering). Units brought up in our core subjects (Math, Science, Social Studies) are incorporated into projects for fun hands on approach to our core subjects. Students use scroll saws, belt sanders, drill presses and nail guns. Some materials used are wood, cardboard and plastic.
An example of one of our projects is designing and constructing a car with a restraint system for an egg. The car is crash tested and the egg? Well it either lives to crash another day, or it’s scrambled!
Another example is building a water bottle rocket. We build and launch the rockets under pressure; their height is calculated using inclinometers that the students build.
7th Grade is an exploratory curriculum. Seventh graders utilize teamwork, planning and designing to apply Math, Science and Technology in a variety of practical projects.
8th graders will be able to explore solid fuel rockets and other aspects of the transportation systems we currently use in the United States. Students will also explore alternate forms of energy including solar through projects like solar cookers and solar powered cars that they build and race. Students will also explore hydraulics and hovercraft technologies while building hydraulic cranes and hovercrafts that they can ride!
Structural design will be explored through design challenges that might include towers, bridges, marble drops and catapults. Technological Drawing will be used to design some aspects of each challenge. In some cases, these projects might lead to attending competitions with other local school districts. Different forms of structural testing will be used at the conclusion of each project.
As a result of preparation in this curriculum, students will have the opportunity to develop skills in leadership, cooperative group tasks, problem solving, human relations, communication, and in managing time and materials.
TOOLS
TABLE SAW
BAND SAW
MITRE SAW
SCROLL SAW
JOINTER
PLANER
DISC/BELT SANDER
SPINDLE SANDER
DRILL PRESS/DRILLS
ROUTER
NAIL GUNS
COMPRESSOR
HAND TOOLS
PROJECTS
BOTTLE ROCKETS
AIRPLANES
HOT AIR BALLOONS
CO2 CARS
SOLAR RACERS
HYDRAULIC CRANE
HOVERCRAFT
MAGNETIC LEVITATION TRAIN
SIMPLE MOTORS
BRIDGES
POP POP BOATS
SUBMARINES
AND MORE.............