This article presents an activity that gives students a practical understanding of how much energy the average home consumes and wastes, and shows how the construction technologies used in home design affect overall energy usage. In this activity, students will outline the cost of a home's electrical system, give a breakdown of how much power the…

Like many technology teachers, the author, a technology education teacher at Arthur Hill High School in Saginaw, Michigan, tries to stretch his budget by "milking" each student activity for maximum benefit. In the technology department, they use balsa wood towers to teach the basics of structural engineering. To get the most from their materials,…

Suggests that a study of the telegraph is a good starting point for the study of long-distance communication. Includes study questions and a learning activity for building a telegraphy system. (JOW)

Teachers can integrate halftone or duotone production into a graphic communications class even if they lack access to an offset press. The approach described in this article, in fact, offers a benefit in that the dots involved in screen printing halftones and dutones can be enlarged to make them easily visible, while those used in offset printing…

Describes the Electric Car Challenge during which students applied methods of construction to build lightweight, strong vehicles that were powered by electricity. The activity required problem solving, sheet metal work, electricity, design, and construction skills. (JOW)

A brief, concrete assignment introduces technical writing more effectively than the traditional "Do a five-page lab report." Students produce a one-page document, writing one or two simple sentences under clearly defined subheadings for objects they can see and touch. (JOW)

Illustrates how to use map reading to teach measurement, math, scaling, coordinate mapping, compass use, traffic regulations, problem solving, and other skills in a transportation unit. (JOW)

Provides an overview of the different ages of technology throughout history as well as examples of how teachers can implement a unit of instruction based on those ages. (Contains 21 references.) (JOW)

Karian and Stahl suggest that establishing clear student outcome objectives will clarify the study of the environmental impact of technology. McCade presents resources to help educators develop a technology education curriculum with examples and an action plan. (JOW)

Describes a class project to design a better and safer woodworking tool using computer-assisted design. (SK)

Describes the use of catapults as a way to increase math, science, and technology correlations within the classroom. Includes detailed instructions, a list of materials for building a catapult, and print and Internet resources. (JOW)

Building and launching model rockets makes a great activity for a technology education class. A model rocket curriculum provides a valuable tool for improving students' technical skills, including following technical instructions and procedures while learning about aerospace technology. This article describes a way of making model rocketry more…

Toys often work well for project activities. They appeal directly to youngsters, and older students like to make things that they can give to a younger sibling or relative. This article describes how to construct a toy truck. This project takes advantage of common 2 x 4 lumber stock to produce an economical toy. Of course, one could substitute…

This activity to meet the basic literacy goals of sixth-grade students shows how to incorporate language arts into the classroom while introducing the principles of technology. Includes a design brief with evaluation rubric. (JOW)

Advocates the use of technology education to promote independent critical thinking and problem solving while introducing students to design and engineering concepts. Includes sample activities for a high school electricity and electronics course. (JOW)