THIS SECTION FOCUSES ON UNUSUAL ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF OUR STUDENTS AND THEIR USE OF OR DISCOVERIES ABOUT TECHNOLOGY!
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09/08/08
High performance LEGOs by Eric B.
Brandon H. and Mark K. have established a new benchmark for future classes . Bridge building is one of the fun learning experiences in the 6th grade program. Their record of 94% efficiency is incredible. Congratulate them if you see them in class or in the halls! Nice Job!
This weeks student of the week was selected because he responded to my request to teach me HTML by creating a web-site HTML tutorial. Read more about Rob G. by clicking student of the week (below) or visit his site by clicking here.
Sometimes research about famous people turns up interesting connections to your community. In this case, Justina J. and Sandra W. "discovered that the inventor of the laser, which they were investigating, became a major executive with a local company, TRW of Westminster MA. The company will provide supplementary materials to enhance what was gathered from the internet.
09/08/08 Repairing servos down to component level is not an easy task. This student has succeeded where others have failed. Now she will continue to troubleshoot the robot to determine the source of conflicting signals to the servos. Great Job!
Armed with their trusty philips head screwdrivers, strong interest and logic, Megan L. and Kristen K. were able to repair the Cd player of the unit shown in the picture.
This was not an easy assignment. It required effort beyond class time. They completely dismantled the unit to inspect all drive mechanisms. With a few adjustments, they found the unit worked perfectly when it was reassembled!
Now you know why they are our technology students of the week!
Celeste exemplifies the type of researcher who will be very successful throughout her professional career. No matter what type of career she chooses, the skills she has demonstrated in her investigation of can openers will be helpful. Identify a problem, gather data, test various models and evaluate each option are skills for life-long learning.
She reports "Throughout my research of can openers, I have formed opinions about the many kinds of them. Of the models that I have had the privilege to try for myself and have also drawn, the military style was the smallest; it was not more than 2 inches long.
I found that the older household style was the most durable and the easiest to use. From my own experience at home, I have found that many of the newer household styles are made partly of plastic and because of that they break very easily. This fact does not apply to most models of the older styles.
I found the most recent edition hard to use although it did provide a much safer edge.
The old fashioned and industrial styles were found to be very hard to use; I had to get help from stronger people.
Out of all the styles I tested, I liked the older household kind the most. All of the can openers I tried worked although some much better than others."
MY PAPER AIRPLANE WIND TUNNEL TESTER.
My name is Andrew and I am in the 7th grade. My module is Aerodynamics. The project shown in the photo is a paper airplane tester for the wind tunnel. The first time I tried to make it I used index cards for a base, two pieces of balsa wood on each end and a string through the middle of the plane. I tied both ends of the string to the balsa wood and found out that that wasn't sturdy enough to hold the plane and the plane flipped upside down. The second time I tried to build it I used wood as a base, nails instead of balsa wood and an elastic instead of string. The elastic wasn't strong enough and they broke every time. After the second try, it came to me that I needed something sturdier in the middle, so I found a thin dowel and I glued it to each nail. It worked ! Then I tried it out in the wind tunnel it worked really well, and now I'm a Techno Kid.
by:Mandy and John for:Project Write / Mr. Manser
Results of the survey of school-wide workstation ergonomics!
John and I did a survey for Tech Ed. We had to go to every room in the school that had a computer and sit down in the chair at the computer to see if it was likely to cause Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. Before we did this we had to go to the library to find out what Carpal tunnel Syndrome is. We found out that Carpal tunnel Syndrome is a painful disabling disorder characterized by inflammation and swelling in the tendon that runs through the carpal tunnel in the wrist, and one of the most common repetitive motion injuries. Numbness, tingling, and pain in the base of he thumb and the first three fingers, result from the compression of a nerve that shares the carpal tunnel. The only classrooms in the school that you cannot get Carpal Tunnel Syndrome in are Mrs. Cristians, Mrs. Collette, Mrs. Andrews, Mrs. Allen, Miss Martin, Mrs. Matthews, Mr. Basque and Mrs. Crowley. The rest of the classrooms are likely to cause Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. SO WATCH OUT!!
Our recommendations include Mr. S's room needs a new teacher's desk for his computer because he is complaining that he has Carpal Tunnel Syndrome in his ears, feet and both hands. He is requesting one before he retires. This is typical of what we call psyco symptomatic injuries that may develop just prior to retirement. Mrs. Gelinas says that she needs a wrist pad because she is requesting one before she gets Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
Some things that prevent Carpal Tunnel Syndrome are adjustable arms, forearm resters, clamp ons, and wrist resters.
Other injuries that can occur when using a computer are eye strain, which can be prevented by monitor movers and platforms
PREVENTING ACHES AND PAINS ...You can prevent Carpal Tunnel Syndrome and other computer related aches and pains by making sure your sholders are relaxed, your elbows are held close to your sides, your lower back is supported, your forearms and hands are in a straight line and last but not least make sure the top of the screen is slightly below eye level
Past Student(s) of the Week......
Kristine interest in caring for horses led to this weeks technology focus. As part of the invention module, she had to brainstorm ideas that would be of use to her in her chosen profession. The following article, written by Kristine, describes her invention.
"Come to the ********* Country Stables (name changed by request) and buy the newest invention in the horse business.
This new invention will do all your stall cleaning for you and even give it a fresh scent of sawdust. All you have to do is press a couple of buttons and be on the way to the horse show without being late.
It is only three easy payments of $33. If you do not like the product, you will get a full refund of your money!!
So come on down and get it while you still can. For more information call ###-297-####"
Next step in the process was to give the plan to the students in the robotics module. They adapted the roving robotic arm with fork and spoon to approximate Kristines' invention. The results are shown below.
Now you know why she is our technology student of the week!
The following article was prepared by an 8th grader who happens to have "beaten"
difficult computer games. Research is showing that gaming is not just playing games but
often a complex learning challenge.
"Hi- My name. is Jonathan - I am 14 years old and go to Overlook Middle School.
I really like the games Myst and Riven. They are games for your computer which are
puzzle games. You walk around and get clues which will help you solve numerous puzzles.
Most of the puzzles consist of math problems and numbers. A few of them use symbols and/or
music.
In the game Myst, you are trapped on another world, This world has very high technology
but few people. The only 3 people you see are Sirrus, Achenar and their father. Sirrus and
Achenar are trapped in two books, a red one and a blue one. They are trapped in the books
because their father suspects one of them is working for their enemy. He does not know
which one so he traps them both.
The first part of the game you have to power and launch a space shuttle. Their are 10
buttons- each with its own power supply. Each one has a different value and you have to
get them to equal 55. It is a pretty easv puzzle but the one after is tough. Once you
power it up and get inside you have to launch it. You have to match the notes from an
organ to a scale on the wall. I had a tough time with this one. I don't want to give away
the whole game but it is a very fun and challenging game.
Riven is the sequel to Myst. In this game you have to save a Princess and get home. The
puzzles are much bigger, harder and more complex. One puzzle has 6 different color marbles
and 255 slots. You have to put 5 of the marbles in the right spots. You got about 5 clues
and that was all. Another one you have to enter 5 different numbers in a 6 number key pad.
This puzzle was tough because it is different in every game so you can't get any help on
it. In this game you run into a few people and a few enemies.
There is no fighting in either of these games. They are just walking around, cracking
codes and figuring out puzzles. I enjoy these games a lot. Not a lot of people do because
these games are a way of getting away from having to think but I love these games and I
hope they come out with another one. And I do not play these games every chance I get like
they are my life. They are fun to play when you have some free time."