Calendar

PRE-ENGINEERING PROGRAM SYLLABUS AND CONTRACT

DAILY CLEAN-UP ASSIGNMENTS

LASER ENGRAVER QUEUE (for use during class times; use outside of class is always first-come-first-served)

UV PRINTER QUEUE (for use at any time)

SHAPER ORIGIN QUEUE (for use during class times; use outside of class is always first-come-first-served)

3D PRINTER QUEUES (Place your file to be printed into the Google folders of the color you want it printed in. Additionally, you MUST fill out the paper hardcopy for the desired color.)

MONDAY, 10/27/25

OBJECTIVE: Students will understand how to perform unit conversions and how to show their understanding through work.
OBJECTIVE: Students will understand concepts of science to the point of analyzing systems and making predictions.
OBJECTIVE: Students will be able to employ shop equipment when attempting to solve problems.
DAILY JOURNAL: There was no entry today.
Students ran their Marble Machines and instructors assigned grades.

ASSIGNED WORK:

FRIDAY, 10/24/25

OBJECTIVE: Students will understand how to perform unit conversions and how to show their understanding through work.
OBJECTIVE: Students will understand concepts of science to the point of analyzing systems and making predictions.
OBJECTIVE: Students will be able to employ shop equipment when attempting to solve problems.
DAILY JOURNAL: There was no entry today.
Students were given time to work on their Marble Machines and Energy Analysis. By the end of the period, the Marble Machine should be placed in the location indicated by your instructors, and the Energy Analysis should be turned in.

ASSIGNED WORK:

WEDNESDAY, 10/22/25

OBJECTIVE: Students will understand how to perform unit conversions and how to show their understanding through work.
OBJECTIVE: Students will understand concepts of science to the point of analyzing systems and making predictions.
OBJECTIVE: Students will be able to employ shop equipment when attempting to solve problems.
DAILY JOURNAL: Answer the following questions:
1. If a rolling can of vegetarian refried beans races a can of chicken broth (both having the same diameter and same mass) down an inclined ramp, which will win, or will it be a tie? Justify your answer with your reasoning.
2. After the race (done in class), report the results of the race and utilize the concepts of energy to explain the result.
Students were given time to work on their Marble Machines and Energy Analysis.

ASSIGNED WORK:

MONDAY, 10/20/25 (ALL)

OBJECTIVE: Students will understand how to perform unit conversions and how to show their understanding through work.
OBJECTIVE: Students will understand concepts of science to the point of analyzing systems and making predictions.
OBJECTIVE: Students will be able to employ shop equipment when attempting to solve problems.
DAILY JOURNAL: What was the point of the demonstration with the board in class on Friday?
Students were given time to work on their Marble Machines in the shop, and their energy analyses as needed.

ASSIGNED WORK:

FRIDAY, 10/17/25

OBJECTIVE: Students will understand how to perform unit conversions and how to show their understanding through work.
OBJECTIVE: Students will understand concepts of science to the point of analyzing systems and making predictions.
OBJECTIVE: Students will be able to employ shop equipment when attempting to solve problems.
DAILY JOURNAL: There was no daily journal today.
Mr. K introduced concepts of energy today. This presentation includes the relationships required to complete this analysis. Marble Machine Energy Introduction Presentation.
Following this presentation, students were given time to try and estimate the three energies they were asked to find associated with their machines.

ASSIGNED WORK:

WEDNESDAY, 10/15/25

OBJECTIVE: Students will understand how to perform unit conversions and how to show their understanding through work.
OBJECTIVE: Students will understand concepts of science to the point of analyzing systems and making predictions.
OBJECTIVE: Students will be able to employ shop equipment when attempting to solve problems.
DAILY JOURNAL: Students watched this Gimli Glider video. For your journal, answer the following questions:
1. What features were designed into the 767 plane that allowed the pilots to still get it safely onto the ground despite having no fuel and power? List at least two.
2. What are the three energies associated with your marble machine that you are asked to quantify in the Marble Machine Energy Analysis.
Students were given time to work on their marble machines in the shop.

ASSIGNED WORK:

Marble Machine Energy Analysis (DUE: 10/24) THIS IS AN INDIVIDUAL ASSIGNMENT. YOU CAN COLLECT DATA TOGETHER WITH YOUR PARTNER, BUT AFTER THAT YOU ARE TO WORK SEPARATELY AND NOT SHARE WORK WITH ONE ANOTHER.

MONDAY, 10/13/25 (ALL)

OBJECTIVE: Students will understand how to perform unit conversions and how to show their understanding through work.
OBJECTIVE: Students will understand concepts of science to the point of analyzing systems and making predictions.
OBJECTIVE: Students will be able to employ shop equipment when attempting to solve problems.
DAILY JOURNAL: There was no daily journal today.
Concepts of energy will be incorporated in this Marble Machine Project. In preparation for discussing energy, read the assignment linked to the right.
Students were given time to work on their marble machines in the shop.

ASSIGNED WORK:

Read this Marble Machine Energy Analysis and be prepared for a quiz on Wednesday (DUE: 10/15 by the beginning of class)

FRIDAY, 10/10/25

OBJECTIVE: Students will understand how to perform unit conversions and how to show their understanding through work.
OBJECTIVE: Students will understand concepts of science to the point of analyzing systems and making predictions.
OBJECTIVE: Students will be able to employ shop equipment when attempting to solve problems.
ANNOUNCEMENT: Note the due date for your working Marble Machine to the right. You will have most of 10/13 and 10/15 to work on your machines. You should have most of your machine functional by the end of the day on 10/15 because we will need to do some things with them the following day associated with energy. But you will have some time the following week to work on them as well.
DAILY JOURNAL: Students were shown a portion of this Top 15 Engineering Fails -- what were they thinking video (only #4 from 18:30 - 20:45). This was a $327 million mistake. For your journal, answer these questions:
1. What is the point of performing unit conversions in the fashion demonstrated in this class?
2. Why is it important to always include the units when providing "an answer".
3. Why does this method of doing unit conversions greatly reduce the need for memorization?
Students worked in the shop on their marble machines.

ASSIGNED WORK:

Marble Machines (DUE: 10/24)

WEDNESDAY, 10/8/25

OBJECTIVE: Students will understand how to perform unit conversions and how to show their understanding through work.
OBJECTIVE: Students will understand concepts of science to the point of analyzing systems and making predictions.
OBJECTIVE: Students will be able to employ shop equipment when attempting to solve problems.
DAILY JOURNAL: Complete the provided problem, showing all work and following all instructions on the Unit Conversion Worksheet when responding to such problems.
Before going to the shop, students had to successfully complete today's journal question, as well as show all work for this question.
Students worked in the shop on their marble machines.

ASSIGNED WORK:

MONDAY, 10/6/25 (ALL)

OBJECTIVE: Students will understand how to perform unit conversions and how to show their understanding through work.
OBJECTIVE: Students will understand concepts of science to the point of analyzing systems and making predictions.
DAILY JOURNAL: There was no daily journal today. Instead, students were to take notes today on today's presentation.
We will eventually be considering the energy and its conversions that take place within your marble machine. Before we quantify energy, we must be sure we can correctly transform quantities from one set of units of measure to another.
Mr. K discussed how to convert units on measured quantities. He also demonstrated how students are to show their work to display their understanding. Whenever asked to do calculations in this class, you must show your work in the manner demonstrated in class to receive full credit. We are never interested in knowing whether you got the correct answer, but rather that you know HOW to get the right answer. Unit Conversions and Dimensional Analysis Notes. (NOTE: Not all of these slides were presented in class -- but the extra slides can serve as additional examples if you require extra help.)

ASSIGNED WORK:

Basic Unit Conversion Worksheet (DUE: 10/10 by the beginning of class) All work must be formatted in the manner demonstrated in class. DO THIS EARLY -- THAT WAY IF YOU NEED HELP, YOU CAN COME GET IT BEFORE IT IS DUE.

FRIDAY, 10/3/25

OBJECTIVE: Students will master the general safety practices associated with use of the shop, as well as specific practices associated with the band saws, scroll saws, floor sanders, and spindle sanders.
Students were shown this video: The Crazy Engineering of Venice
DAILY JOURNAL: Referencing the video, respond to the following:
1. What is your reaction to this story?
2. List three things that really surprised you.
3. What do you believe will be Venice's next largest engineering challenge given what you know about our world?
Students worked on their Marble Machines in the shop.

ASSIGNED WORK:

WEDNESDAY, 10/1/25

OBJECTIVE: Students will master the general safety practices associated with use of the shop, as well as specific practices associated with the band saws, scroll saws, floor sanders, and spindle sanders.
Students were shown this video: Wintergatan Marble Machine (using 2000 marbles)
DAILY JOURNAL: From the video, list three non-trivial things you wonder about for the marble machine you watched in the video. Specifically, list something you observe happening that you cannot explain from what you observe.
Students worked on their Marble Machines in the shop.

ASSIGNED WORK:

MONDAY, 9/29/25 (ALL)

OBJECTIVE: Students will master the general safety practices associated with use of the shop, as well as specific practices associated with the band saws, scroll saws, floor sanders, and spindle sanders.
DAILY JOURNAL: There no journal for today so students could work in the shop during the shorter period.
Students worked on their Marble Machines in the shop.

ASSIGNED WORK:

FRIDAY, 9/26/25

OBJECTIVE: Students will master the general safety practices associated with use of the shop, as well as specific practices associated with the band saws, scroll saws, floor sanders, and spindle sanders.
To be in the shop, students now must:
1. Have all safety tests and test corrections completed.
2. Must have a signed class contract turned in.
3. Must have appropriate clothing on.
Students unable to work in the shop for any of the above reasons must make time up in order to support partner work. The same is true for anyone missing class (for athletics or other reasons).
DAILY JOURNAL: Explain how you and your partner will communicate with one another when:
1. A partner knows in advance that they will not be in class on a given period.
2. When a partner unexpectedly, earlier in the day, discovers they will not be in class later that day.
Students worked with their partner in the Shop on their Marble Machine designs..

ASSIGNED WORK:

WEDNESDAY, 9/24/25

OBJECTIVE: Students will master the general safety practices associated with use of the shop, as well as specific practices associated with the band saws, scroll saws, floor sanders, and spindle sanders.
To be in the shop, students now must:
1. Have all safety tests and test corrections completed.
2. Must have a signed class contract turned in.
3. Must have appropriate clothing on.
Students unable to work in the shop for any of the above reasons must make time up in order to support partner work. The same is true for anyone missing class (for athletics or other reasons).
DAILY JOURNAL: Today's journal is going to require some planning and coordination between you, your partner, the partners who will precede your marble machine, and the partners who follow your marble machine. Answer the following questions once you have obtained the required information.
1. What is your group number for the marble machine project?
2. What are the partner names of the group whose marble machine will precede yours?
3. What are the partner names of the group whose marble machine will come after yours?
4. With your chromebook, take a picture of the 16"x16" platform that will hold your marble machine and paste it into your journal. On your platform, mark the following things in sharpe:
  1. Your group number.
  2. Your names.
  3. The location at an edge in which the marble from the group that precedes you will come onto your device and somehow trigger your marble. Mark with a triangle.
  4. The location at an edge in which your marble leaves your device to trigger the next group's device. Mark with a circle.
Students who have completed their drawings began work in the shop. Students who have not completed the First Cuts project should complete this first while their partner starts the Marble Machine.

ASSIGNED WORK:

MONDAY, 9/22/25 (ALL)

OBJECTIVE: Students will master the general safety practices associated with use of the shop, as well as specific practices associated with the band saws, scroll saws, floor sanders, and spindle sanders.
DAILY JOURNAL: Students should get out paper to take notes on. There no journal for today.
Mr. K discussed basic construction techniques in the shop with students to give them some hints for the Marble Machine Project. Construction Tips -- Notes.
Students were reminded that at this point, they are NOT expected to know how to build anything. Experience and trial and error will be your best teacher here (as well as throughout the rest of your life!). Students took notes during the presentation.

ASSIGNED WORK:

FRIDAY, 9/19/25

OBJECTIVE: Students will master the general safety practices associated with use of the shop, as well as specific practices associated with the band saws, scroll saws, floor sanders, and spindle sanders.
DAILY JOURNAL: If you have three pulleys in your marble machine, does that count as three moving parts? Why?
Students continued to work on completing initial safety testing and the First Cuts Project.
Students who have completed the First Cuts Project should work with their partners to create an aligned drawing and a Bill of Materials.
A complete bill of materials (BOM) must be provided with the drawings indicating each item required for your marble machine with its description and quantity. For this, make a table in which each item you intend to use is associated with a single row. Use the columns with the following names in this given order: Item description, quantity, material type, who is to provide it (CV, or group members). Yes – each group member provides a BOM, again to ensure everyone is on the same page.

ASSIGNED WORK:

WEDNESDAY, 9/17/25

OBJECTIVE: Students will master the general safety practices associated with use of the shop, as well as specific practices associated with the band saws, scroll saws, floor sanders, and spindle sanders.
DAILY JOURNAL: What scale should you use for your aligned drawings? What four columns need to be included in your BOM?
Students continued to work on completing initial safety testing and the First Cuts Project.
Students who have completed the First Cuts Project should work with their partners to create thumbnail sketches, an aligned drawing and a Bill of Materials.
Drawings are to be fully dimensioned and should include information regarding how parts are to be fastened together.
Drawings should be neat. Text should be legible. Straight edges should be used wherever appropriate.
Drawings should be drawn to scale. For instance, when using a scale of 1:4, every 1” on the drawing would represent 4” in the real world.
Drawings should have enough information and detail on them so that someone else could build your marble machine as you intend without the need to talk to you for clarifications. Use text as needed to explain things.
A complete bill of materials (BOM) must be provided with the drawings indicating each item required for your marble machine with its description and quantity. For this, make a table in which each item you intend to use is associated with a single row. Use the columns with the following names in this given order: Item description, quantity, material type, who is to provide it (CV, or group members). Yes – each group member provides a BOM, again to ensure everyone is on the same page.

ASSIGNED WORK:

Aligned and Dimensioned Drawing and BOM (DUE: 9/19 by the end of class) This is an example of an ALIGNED drawing.

MONDAY, 9/15/25 (ALL)

OBJECTIVE: Students will master the general safety practices associated with use of the shop, as well as specific practices associated with the band saws, scroll saws, floor sanders, and spindle sanders.
DAILY JOURNAL: TBA
The first large project, the Marble Machine Project, (which will require the use of the shop) was introduced at the beginning of the period.
Students chose their partners and each group was assigned a group number. Groups MUST communicate with the groups directly in front and behind them in the marble machine order in order to create a successful marble transition.
Students worked with their partners to create thumbnail sketches, an aligned drawing, and a Bill of Materials for the first large project.
A complete bill of materials (BOM) must be provided with the drawings indicating each item required with its description and quantity. For this, make a table in which each item you intend to use is associated with a single row. Use the columns with the following names in this given order: Item description, quantity, material type, who is to provide it (CV, or group members). Yes – each group member provides a BOM, again to ensure everyone is on the same page.

ASSIGNED WORK:

FRIDAY, 9/12/25

OBJECTIVE: Students will master the general safety practices associated with use of the shop, as well as specific practices associated with the band saws, scroll saws, floor sanders, and spindle sanders.
DAILY JOURNAL: How many different safety tests will you need to complete, and what are they?
Students continued to work on completing initial safety testing and the First Cuts Project.

ASSIGNED WORK:

WEDNESDAY, 9/10/25

OBJECTIVE: Students will master the general safety practices associated with use of the shop, as well as specific practices associated with the band saws, scroll saws, floor sanders, and spindle sanders.
DAILY JOURNAL: Explain where the safety videos are located on the CVHS Safety Page.
Students continued to work on completing initial safety testing and the First Cuts Project. The suggested procedure:
- Watch the safety video for a piece of equipment (there are four you need to do -- the Band Saws, Scroll Saws, Stationary Sanders, and Drill Presses). These videos can be found on the CVHS Safety Page linked at the top of your class website.
- Go do the task on the First Cuts assignment associated with that piece of equipment.
- Come back to the room and complete the safety test for that piece of equipment (all the tests are on Canvas).
- Complete all test corrections if you do not get 100% on the test.
- Repeat this procedure for the next piece of equipment until you have cycled through all four.
- Turn in the First Cuts Project into the Inbox in the classroom.
- In order to minimize bottlenecks at certain machines, you have been assigned a machine to start with while completing the First Cuts Project and safety tests. Start with your assigned machine, then move on to the next in the following order:
  1. - Band Saw
    - Scroll Saw
    - Stationary Sanders
    - Drill Press
- Safety Test Order (look here to determine the tool you should start with)

ASSIGNED WORK:

The First Cuts Project (DUE 9/19)
Complete the Band Saw Safety Test, and do test corrections as necessary. (DUE 9/19) If absent today, first watch the Band Saw Safety Video on the CV Safety Website, before taking the test.
Complete the Scroll Saw Safety Test, and do test corrections as necessary. (DUE 9/19) If absent today, first watch the Scroll Saw Safety video on the CV Safety Website, before taking the test.
Complete the Stationary Sander Safety Test, and do test corrections as necessary. (DUE 9/19) If absent today, first watch the Stationary Sander Safety Video on the CV Safety Website, before taking the test.
Complete the Drill Press Safety Test, and do test corrections as necessary. (DUE 9/19) If absent today, first watch the Drill Press Safety Video on the CV Safety Website, before taking the test.

MONDAY, 9/8/25 (ALL)

OBJECTIVE: Students will master the general safety practices associated with use of the shop, as well as specific practices associated with the band saws, scroll saws, floor sanders, and spindle sanders.
DAILY JOURNAL: There was no journal today.
Students completed the General Shop Safety Test on Canvas. For any question answered wrong, a student must write out on a piece of paper a complete, stand-alone statement that summarizes the correct concept that the missed question was targeting on the test. For instance, "Safety glasses must be worn always" is not a sufficient stand-alone statement because there is no context. "Safety glasses must be worn at all times IN THE SHOP" however can stand alone because context is given. These test corrections can be done on paper and can be turned into the In basket in the room. The student's name and the test in question should be on the paper.
Students obtained a piece of wood for their First Cuts Project, placed their name on it, and placed it in the class cabinet in the shop.
Time permitting, students worked to complete safety testing. See Wednesday, 9/11.

ASSIGNED WORK:

General Shop Safety Test (DUE: TODAY)

FRIDAY, 9/5/25

OBJECTIVE: Students will understand the role of collaboration in problem identification and problem-solving.
OBJECTIVE: Students will master the general safety practices associated with use of the shop, as well as specific practices associated with the band saws, scroll saws, floor sanders, and spindle sanders.
The class syllabus was discussed.
Students were given a pair of safety glasses and assigned a locker for their glasses.
DAILY ROUTINE: Starting today, the daily routine to start each class should look like this:
1. Go to your locker.
2. Remove your safety glasses.
3. Open your IDEA Daily Journal document and add a heading with today's date below previous entries.
4. Navigate to this web page. Under DAILY JOURNAL, complete what is requested of you, adding it to your single document that is your IDEA Daily Journal. You will keep adding to your journal each day. Doing this will allow your instructors to get the class started and take attendance while you are learning/reviewing/completing something.
5. When finished, submit your revised document to the Canvas assignment (yes, you resubmit your same, modified, journal each day of class).
6. Either your instructors or this webpage will tell you what to do next for the day.
7. If you are absent from class, you must still complete your daily journal.
8. Journal grading will be unannounced . Why? Because journals should be maintained and kept up-to-date. Missing entries will receive a zero. Forgetting to submit your journal will not result in credit for entries. The entire point of the journal is to verify you have information in the moment, not later on.
9. Journal entries MUST be correct when there are correct responses to be made. Therefore, do what it takes to make sure you know what correct responses should be. At other times, entries will be graded on the quality of responses. The journal is your instructor's way of ensuring that everyone knows and understands key pieces of information. If you are ever unsure, ask for help! We will disucuss correct responses with you again even if we have presented them previously. The point is to do what it takes to know what we need you to know.
DAILY JOURNAL: Students were directed to open up a blank Google Doc, and then save it as their IDEA Daily Journal. For today's entry, answer the following questions regarding the course syllabus:
1. 1. How much is an assignment penalized if turned in late?
  2. What must you do to request an extension on an assignment?
  3. If you wish to replace a score on something, what must you do?
  4. To be considered for rounding of your final grade at the end of the semester, what must be true at the end of the semester?
After completing their journals, students were taken out to the shop and general safety considerations were discussed.

ASSIGNED WORK:

WEDNESDAY, 9/3/25 (ALL)

OBJECTIVE: Students will be able to access the class website, the Canvas class, complete the initial class survey, and access the class syllabus and contract.
OBJECTIVE: Students will understand the process of creative thinking and will expand their ability to create original ideas and art.
OBJECTIVE: Students will understand the role of collaboration in problem identification and problem-solving.
OBJECTIVE: Students will master the general safety practices associated with use of the shop, as well as specific practices associated with the band saws, scroll saws, floor sanders, and spindle sanders.
Students were given a pair of safety glasses and assigned a locker for their glasses.
Students worked in pairs to solve this problem.

ASSIGNED WORK:

Complete this Initial Class Survey. (DUE 9/3, completed in class)
Read (and have your parents read) this Pre-Engineering Class Syllabus and Contract. Print the last page. Sign this contract as required. Take a picture of this contract. Submit this picture on Canvas. If you do not have a printer, you may place signatures on a blank piece of paper and indicate that you have read and agree to the class contract, take a picture of this, and submit this to Canvas. (DUE 9/5, by the beginning of class)

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