HUNTERDON CENTRAL REGIONAL HIGH SCHOOL DISTRICT

Mechanical Drawing has gone through some changes for the better also. We found that students needed to
spend more time on concepts and understanding through visual means before they could progress to using a
computer-aided program. We developed more modeling projects that enabled students to explore how they saw
things visually. Once on the computer, the problems were based on visual concepts and spatial relations.
Students were better at developing their own ideas after practicing these concepts.
Introduction to Technology this year has been a 1:1 program. The ability to use computers has allowed the
students to develop teaching modules and tests. The students took on the responsibility of teaching an element
within the six simple machines and then taught the element to the class. Each team developed a quiz and
administered a test to chart student knowledge. It was a change from the usual teacher-driven lecture and placed
leaning into the hands of the students. The projects were student driven and involved alternative energy using
wind turbines.
The modifications to the “Wooden Joints” as well as the “Catapults” projects were a success. For the wooden
joints, instead of making three joints, tying together and handing in; students now have to make four joints
attached together in the shape of a square. Students had to draw a blueprint and use math to make sure their
cuts and angles were accurate to make a perfect square. In the catapults project, instead of constructing
catapults to shoot shaving cream, students had to design them to shoot a golf ball as far as possible. Students
then graphed the results in a scatter plot in Excel and determined the feet per second of their shots. Students
then had to hypothesize certain facts about catapults and mechanical advantage.
Architectural Design
• Reviewed and revised Architectural Design Course of Study with UbD template and 2009 standards.
• Purchased and introduced new textbook for Architectural Design that focuses on projects, as organizing
principles.
• Initiated contact with Chicago Architecture Foundation regarding on-line collaboration tools with
professional architects.
Principles of Engineering
• Used Moodle course to facilitate completion of Principles of Engineering course work by a student from
home (online / asynchronous).
• Merged Concept Design and Reverse Engineering units in POE, added content, resources, and
assessments.
• Added use of Inventor and Photoshop to POE packaging project. (Increased integration of software tools
into existing lessons.)
• Added field trip to Weiss-Aug Company to POE manufacturing unit with careers focus.
Honors Engineering
• Expanded Reverse Engineering unit in Honors Engineering with worksheets and a new Steam Power
problem set.
• Initiated process of integrating ITEEA Engineering by Design materials into existing curriculum.
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