Projects are listed (mostly) in order that students will do them!
​
​Links & Info.
​Introduction to Tech
​Tech Lab Scavenger Hunt
UNIT 1
FLIGHT: Bottle Rockets (parachutes may detach)
1) Build a water rocket out of a plastic soda bottle (or two)!
2) Launch with compressed air and water and watch it fly!
3) Go for longest flight! Parachute or Bottle!
4) Extra credit for catching the parachute and/or rocket!​
  • Beat West record = +10%
  • Exceptional Construction = +10%
  • Best time in class or 20 seconds = A+
  • 15 seconds = A
  • 10 seconds = A-
  • 9 seconds = B+
  • 8 seconds = B
  • 7 seconds = B-
  • 6 seconds = C+
  • 5 second = C
  • ​<5 second = C-
School Record: 
​2-Stage Water Rocket (5:14)
Water Rocket with Go Pro (4:49)
1,239' Water Rocket Launch! (3:36)
Water Rocket Construction, Part 1 (5:47)
Water Rocket Construction, Part 2 (7:13)
Make a SIMPLE Water Rocket (1:31)
​How Model Rockets Work​
Water Rocket Grade Sheet
UNIT 2
SHOP BASICS: Technical Drawing, Imperial and Metric Measurements, Tool Identification and Safety
​​Measuring with the U.S. and Metric Systems
​Multiview Drawings (easy then challenging)
Shop Tools Worksheet and Demonstrations
UNIT 3
CONSTRUCTION: Scale Model of Famous Structure
  • Choose a famous bridge, building, statue, or monument to build to scale
  • Choose a scale that creates a model between 12"-36" tall
  • Create a Google slides presentation to share your model 
Gradesheet
UNIT 4
PROBLEM-SOLVING: Steam Boat Races
  • Plan and build a wooden press mold for an aluminum hull boat
  • ​Make a hull from the mold and steam power it for propulsion!
  • But first: Paint wood boat with two-tone masked paint job, add 10" mast and sail, then race the wooden boats with wind!
Steam Boat Build Instructions
UNIT 5
FLIGHT: POWERPOLE PLANES
  • Design an electric airplane with 12" max length, 15" max wingspan, one 6v motor and 3 blade propeller that will fly around a power pole in the middle of the room!
Introduction to Flight & Powerpole Challenge
​Pilot's License Gradesheet
Blueprint #1 (Wing and Tail)
​Blueprint #2 (Fuselage)
UNIT 6
FLIGHT: Hot Air Balloons (NOTE: Wait until temps are near freezing)
  • Tissue, glue, and some propane gas. What could possibly go wrong?
  • Exceptional construction = 10%
  • Beat school record = +10%
  • 60 seconds or best in class = A+
  • 40 seconds = A
  • 30 seconds = A-
  • 20 seconds = B+
  • 10 seconds = B
  • 5 seconds = C
  • <5 seconds = C-
  • No attempt = F
How Hot Air Balloons Work (4:38)
Albuquerque Time Lapse (2:43)
Sky Lantern World Record (4:01)
Tissue Paper Balloon (6:10)
Hot Air Balloon Record: 2 min. 19 seconds (Sagan F, Ryan P, Blake W. 2017)
​UNIT 7
DRAWING, DRAFTING, & DESIGN: Vacation Home
​1. Draw a framed exterior wall with a window and door with the following measurements scaled down to 1:24 scale (1" on the drawing = 24" full size) TIP: Divide full size inches by 24.

2. Each student builds a 1:24 scale model of their wall. Build LEFT to RIGHT.
  • Sheetrock (white poster board)
  • Insulation (pink felt)
  • Exterior Sheathing (brown construction paper)
  • Exterior Siding (construction paper in 1" strips)
  • Window Glass (overhead material)
  • Door with Hinges (balsa with masking tape)

​3. Each student draws a 1:48 scale floor plan for a vacation home under 2,000sf 
  • Floorplan Sketch
  • Floorplan Blueprint at 1:48 Scale (add furniture)
​​​​            Some Size Options:
                   80'x25' = 2000sf (20" x 6.25" drawing and model size)
                   60'x30' = 1800sf (15" x 7.5")
                   45'x40' = 1800sf (11.25" x 10")
                    
​
Metric and U.S. Standard Measurements
Inches Worksheet
​Metric Worksheet
1:24 scale wall Worksheet (in inches)
​1:24 Scale Wall Worksheet (in millimeters)
Scale Wall Drawings:   1   2   3   4
​Wall wiring diagram
Wall Insulation Diagram
Making a Floorplan Sketch
Drawing "Blueprints"
Vacation Home Grade Sheet
1:48 Scale Furniture Symbols to Print
UNIT 8
3D DESIGN: Vacation Home
1. Learn to use Sketchup Online (See tutorials at right)
2. Use Sketchup and a photo of your floorplan to create a 3D model of your vacation home! 
3. Place your vacation home somewhere cool in Google Earth!
Go to Sketchup Online HERE!​
Tutorial 1: Introduction to Sketchup Online
​Sketchup 2: The Right Toolbar
Tutorial 3: A Family of Snowmen!
DEMO: Holes, Loops, Importing Images
Project: Useful and Practical Object
DEMO: Using photos as "paint"
Project: 3D Building Using Photos
UNIT 9
CONSTRUCTION: Scale Model House
1. In groups, build a scale model house
2. Decorate and display your house
UNIT 10
CONSTRUCTION: "Balsa Truss Bridge"
1. Use 20' of 1/8"x1/8" balsa to build a truss bridge that will hold 50 pounds.\
  • Exceptional Construction = +10%
  • 50 lbs. for 5 seconds = A+
  • 40 lbs. for 5 seconds = A
  • 30 lbs. for 5 seconds = B
  • 20 lbs. for 5 seconds = C+
  • 10 lbs. for 5 seconds = C
  • <10 lbs. for 5 seconds = C-
  • ​No attempt = F​  ​​
Bridge Engineering video (3:44)
Balsa Bridge Grade Sheet
UNIT 11
WHEELS: CO2 Dragsters!
​Trophies for:
  • Fastest Dragster!
  • Best Design
  • Best Paint
Presentation with Requirements
​CO2 Dragster Grade Sheet
​2020 SPEC SHEET
​Riverglen CO2 Dragster Bracket
UNIT 12
FLIGHT: Drones 
1. Cheerson CX-10 mini drones
TIP: Gently press a throttle stick down once to go into "beginner" mode. It will beep          once. Drone will be less responsive. Two beeps is intermediate and three beeps is expert.

2. Blimp Battles! - following the video instructions to build a blimp drone from a CX-10 (see link at right), students will battle to be the last blimp in the air using a sharp pin as a weapon!  Four drones can fly at once. There will be multiple battles until all the helium is gone!​
Introduction to Drones
​Mini Drone Gradesheet
Video Instructions for building an RC helium blimp
UNIT 14
FLIGHT: Box Kites
1) 1/8" x 1/8" balsa sticks and tissue will make a kite that flies all day!
Kites Presentation
Box Kites Gradesheet
UNIT 15
WHEELS: Land Yacht Races
  • Exceptional Construction = +10%
  • First across the tennis courts gets the A+
  • A for making it across both tennis courts
  • B for making it across the first tennis court
  • C for movement but not making it across the first tennis court
World Land Yacht Speed Record
​Land Yacht Racing!
​RC Land Yacht
UNIT 17
FLIGHT: Solid Fuel Rockets
1) Build and launch a rocket to put a satellite into orbit and then find out if your recovery system works!
2) Compare A and C engines for flight time. 
  • Catch rocket before it touches back down = + 10%
  • Exceptional Construction = +10%
  • Beat school record = +10%
  • Separate parachute with marble is deployed (payload) +10%
  • Best in class or 1 minute = A+
  • 50 seconds = A
  • 40 seconds = B+
  • 30 seconds = B
  • 20 seconds = C+
  • 10 seconds = C
  • <10 seconds = C-
  • ​No attempt = F
​Time starts on launch and ends when the rocket body touches down.
Rocket History PDF
Rocket History Questions
October Sky Video Questions
Solid Fuel Rocket Gradesheet
International Space Station LIVE!
​School Record= 1:42 Aubrey/Emma 2019