Exploring Technology Course Disclosure -Syllabus

Course Information

Course Title:  Exploring Technology

Utah Core Code:  38.03.00.00.001

Semester Credits:  0.5

Lab Fee:  $10.00

Instructor:  Russ Gifford

Phone:  435-628-0001

E-mail:  russ.gifford@washk12.org

Address:  Desert Hills Middle School, 936 East Desert Hills Drive, St. George, UT 84790

Dates:   Aug. 11, 2025 - Dec. 19, 2025

Classroom:  114

Class Time:  Periods: 6A (on a "B" Day) , 7A (on a "B" Day) 

Office Hours:  Monday - Thursday, 2:40 PM - 3:10 PM

Course Description

Exploring Technology is a comprehensive, action-based, course that introduces students to technology and its impact on society. Students will develop problem-solving skills, improve awareness for College & Career Readiness (CCR), and build understanding of the relationship between science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). Emphasis is placed on broad exploration in cooperative activities rather than individual skill development and projects. Students will explore Engineering and at least three of the following seven technology areas: 1) agriculture & biotechnology, 2) construction, 3) energy & power, 4) information & communication, 5) manufacturing, 6) medical, and 7) transportation.

Course Objectives

Students who successfully complete this course will be able to:

1. Follow standard safety practices

2. Understand the characteristics and scope of technology

3. Explain the cultural, social, economic, environmental, and political effects of technology, and explain the historical role of society in the development and use of technology

4. Utilize the engineering design process in problem-based learning activities

5. Identify career opportunities in technology fields

A more detailed list of standards for this course can be found here.

Course Requirements

In order to successfully complete this course, students are expected to:

1. Attend all class sessions (including being on-time)

2. Actively participate in class discussions and activities

3. Complete all assignments and laboratory activities to the best of ability

4. Take all quizzes and exams

5. Follow standard safety practices

Course Policies & Procedures

Evaluation

Final Grades

Your final course grade for the semester will be calculated based on the following weighted categories:

Assessment – 15%

Assignments – 60%

Professional Traits – 25%

Final letter grades will be assigned based on your percentage score according the district-mandated grading breakdown.

Assessment

During most weeks, you will take an in-class online quiz on the material covered previously. Each quiz is designed to provide a formative assessment of your learning.  Quizzes are ‘open book’ (not 'open neighbor'), and are timed at 15 minutes (IEP students will receive a time extension if needed).  You will have two attempts at each quiz, so if you are not happy with your first score, you are expected to study the questions you missed prior to your second attempt.  Your score will be the best of the two attempts. No additional attempts will be given. Safety tests will also be graded as part of your assessment grade, as well as some select assignments.

Assignments

Exploring Technology is largely a project-based course, and a variety of classwork and assignments will be given, both in and out of the shop. Participation in all classwork, including shop projects, is expected and required. Due dates will be posted in Canvas.

Professional Traits

In order to succeed in this course and help others succeed, you are expected to contribute to the class and to any assigned groups in a positive way, and to follow all school and classroom expectations for professional behavior. You will be graded on the following six items:

• Attendance – Attending all class sessions

• Punctuality – Being on time or early for class

• Accountability – Gladly accepting assignments and completing them on time and to the best of your ability, assisting teammates to complete work,

• Teamwork - Maintaining a positive attitude, bringing energy and excitement to the class, encouraging others, seeking consensus

• Cleanup - Performing assigned cleanup duties each day with high quality, assisting others in cleanup duties when time permits

• Safety - Following all safety rules exactly

Credit will be deducted for failure to perform to these standards as described. Please keep in mind that professional traits are weighted to 25% of the final grade, so even a small deduction from PT points makes a noticeable difference to your final grade.

Incomplete and Failing Grades

If, at the end of any quarter, a student is receiving a Failing grade (F) after all work has been graded, an Incomplete (I) will be temporarily assigned to give the student one final chance to turn in any missed work and improve their grade. This grace period will last for one calendar week (excluding school holidays such as Spring Break) following the date grades are stored by the school registrar, or until the final date set by the registrar to resolve incomplete grades, whichever comes first. It is the student's responsibility to use this time to determine which assignments are missing and to submit missed work. At the end of the grace period, the Incomplete grade will revert to whatever grade has been earned, with the addition of any credit earned during the grace period.

Extra Credit

Extra credit is not typically offered in this class, and students should not expect to be given extra credit assignments upon request or for the sole purpose of boosting grades. Extra credit assignments will NEVER be given to individual students to the exclusion of other students. However, opportunities for extra credit may occasionally arise during the course of the semester which will be offered to the entire class. This should not be construed as a guarantee that any extra credit assignments will be offered. Extra credit will NOT be offered after the late-work deadline for the quarter has passed. In the event that extra credit assignments are offered, any extra credit earned by a student will be added into the grade after all other coursework for the quarter has been graded. In order to qualify for extra credit assignments, the following conditions must be met:

• No missing work - all regular coursework must be turned in.

• Extra credit will only be applied if the student's final grade in the course is within 1.0% or less of the next grade level (e.g., B to B+) after all regular coursework has been graded.

• Extra credit assignments must be turned in on time

Canvas

Much of the course content is delivered online via Canvas in the form of mini-lectures and other videos, online discussion forums, readings, etc. Canvas will be used extensively in this course to provide learning materials, track student progress, and communicate with students and parents. Students are expected to check Canvas daily. Parents should also create an account and check Canvas frequently so they know what is coming up for their students. (Instructions can be found here.) It is highly recommended that parents and students install the Canvas app on mobile devices they may have, and enable email/push notifications.

PowerSchool: Please use Canvas for information on grades, upcoming assignments, missing work, etc. I make no guarantee whatsoever that any grading information you may or may not find on PowerSchool is current or accurate in any way, except for at the end of each quarter after final grades for the quarter are posted.

Attendance, Missed Work, & Late Work

Absences in excess of 3 class periods per quarter will result in losing Professional Traits credit for each additional absence. Allowances will be made for school approved activities (e.g., student government, etc.) or extenuating circumstances (e.g., prolonged illness, etc.) as deemed appropriate by the instructor. Usually these circumstances will involve checking with the attendance secretary and/or parent. 

Leaving the class without explicit permission from the instructor for any reason for any amount of time will result in you being marked absent with an addendum indicating that you left class without permission.  A second offense will be immediately reported to the school administration.

Tardies in excess of 3 per quarter will result in losing PT credit for each additional tardy. A student who is not in their seat, either working on an assignment or waiting quietly for class to begin at the time the late bell rings is considered tardy.  In addition, tardies may be assessed for excessively long bathroom breaks, etc.

Missed work can be made up for excused absences if arrangements are made in advance with the teacher.  Generally, make-up work will not be counted as late work if it is turned in no later than the class period following the last day of the excused absence.

Late work without prior arrangements will be accepted at a 5% credit deduction per calendar day late, with a maximum 50% deduction from earned credit.  It is your responsibility to keep track of missed/late work. No late work of any kind will be accepted after the late work deadline (usually about one week before the end of the quarter).

Dress Policy

Due to safety considerations, the following dress standards* are required to use the lab facilities.  Since you will be using the lab facilities on most days, you should always come to class appropriately dressed.  Students not able to meet these standards will be asked to stay in the classroom or go change into more appropriate attire.

• Safety glasses will be provided and must be worn at all times inside the lab.

• Shoes must cover the entire foot and may not have a raised heel or otherwise present a safety hazard.

• No loose clothing: Long sleeves should be rolled up. Jackets, hoodies, coats, or other loose-fitting or bulky clothing should be left in the classroom or student locker.

• Hair that is long enough to tie back should be secured so that it cannot become entangled in machinery.

• Rings, bracelets, necklaces/neckties, and dangling ear-rings should be removed and left in the classroom or hall locker.

• Any other clothing or personal item that is deemed a safety hazard by the instructor should be left in the classroom or hall locker

*Note: These standards are in addition to the DHMS Dress Code standards and do not replace or modify the Dress Code except as necessary to maximize the safety of students while using the technology lab facilities.

Behavior Policy

General Class Expectations

• Respect Yourself - Put forth your best effort every day. Act with integrity at all times. Follow all safety rules at all times. Do not do anything that might harm or distract you.

• Respect Others - Help others at appropriate times and in appropriate ways. Do not do anything that might harm, threaten, or distract others, or that might limit their ability to succeed in the class.

• Respect the Process - Be polite and follow class protocols, such as entering the room in an orderly manner, raising your hand to be called on to speak, sitting in your assigned seat, etc. Follow instructions immediately. Do not do anything to make it difficult for the instructor to teach and manage the classroom effectively.

• Respect the Facilities - Use tools and materials appropriately as instructed by the teacher. Follow all shop safety rules at all times. Put away all materials and tools properly after you are finished, and clean up after yourself. Do not damage equipment, the shop, the classroom, or waste materials.

Consequences

The following consequences will be applied for failure to adhere to class expectations or shop safety rules.

• 1st Offense: Verbal Warning

• 2nd Offense: Yellow Card, Loss of PT credit.

• 3rd Offense: Yellow Card, loss of additional PT credit, teacher conference and/or parent contact

• 4th Offense: Yellow Card, loss of additional PT credit, referral to the assistant principal for administrative discipline.

In addition to the consequences listed above, serious or repeated safety violations may result in immediate referral to the assistant principal for administrative discipline, up to and including permanent removal from the class. Students who damage equipment or facilities by failing to follow the shop safety practices taught in class will be held responsible for the cost of repair or replacement and may be referred to law enforcement in the case of vandalism or other illegal behavior.

Course Materials and Fees

Materials

• Pencil (daily)

• Notebook or note paper in a binder (daily)

• Inexpensive headphones/earbuds (daily)

• 8th Grade Only: Inexpensive combination padlock (optional, but highly recommended--will be returned at the end of the semester)

All other materials, including safety glasses, will be provided.

Lab Fee

This course has a $10 lab fee which is to be paid to the finance secretary at DHMS, either in person at the finance office or online through TouchBase.  This fee is used along with other funds to provide some materials for the course so that students can take their work home with them. Teachers cannot and will not accept or handle payments.

Financial Hardship

Parents/Guardians, if for any reason any of the required materials, lab fee, or dress standards for this course create a hardship or present a problem, please notify me. I am flexible and we can discuss other alternatives, but only if I am aware. Students on fee waiver are not required to pay the lab fee, but should still turn in a receipt from the finance office for the Lab Fee assignment at the beginning of the semester.

Textbook

The textbook used in this class is provided, but a citation is given here for reference. You do not need to purchase this text.

Brusic, S. A., Fales, J. F., Kuetemeyer, V. F. (2008). Technology: Engineering & Design. Woodland Hills, CA: Glencoe/McGraw-Hill

School and District Policies

Non-Discrimination

Desert Hills Middle School offers education to all students, and does not and shall not discriminate based on race, color, religion, sex, disability, or national origin. Students who have a grievance with another student or any school employee should talk to the school administration or a counselor about their concerns.

Accommodations for Persons with Disabilities

Some students may be eligible for Section 504 or IEP accommodations.  For more information on accommodations for students with disabilities, parents should talk to an administrator or counselor.

Parental Rights

A summary of protected parental rights pertaining to their child’s education can be found here.

Supremacy of School and District Policies

In the event that any policies or procedures set forth in this syllabus conflict with any Desert Hills Middle School or Washington County School District policies or procedures, the higher level policy or procedure shall govern. Please notify the instructor should any such conflicts arise so that appropriate changes can be made.

Additional Information

Additional information on school or district policies (e.g., school dress code, etc.) may be found in the Desert Hills Middle School Student Handbook or on the Washington County School District website.

******General Safety Rules: 

• Tools, machines, chemicals, and other hazardous items can only be used when the technology and engineering education instructor is present, permission has been received from the instructor, and the student has received instruction in its safety precautions. Equipment can only be used for its intended purpose and may only be used for school projects approved by the instructor. 

• Students must pass all lab and equipment safety tests with 100% accuracy. They must practice and adhere to all safety rules learned from these safety tests. 

• Students should never work alone in the laboratory. 

• Food and drink are never allowed in the laboratory. 

• Horseplay, running, yelling, or talking to an individual operating a machine or tool is not permitted. 

• Students impaired from drugs, alcohol, or other conditions are not permitted in the laboratory. 

• Dress properly. No open toed shoes. Loose clothing and jewelry must be removed. Long hair must be confined. 

• Sanitized approved eye protection will be provided, and must be worn per state law.

• Each student work area will be kept clean and tidy. Saw dust, water, glue, paint and other spills must be wiped up and disposed of properly. 

• Always be careful when carrying sharp tools, and long or heavy objects. 

• All faulty equipment, or any other unsafe condition, must be reported to the teacher immediately. 

• All injuries, no matter how small, must be reported to the teacher immediately. 

• Only one operator allowed in each machine’s safety zone at a time. 

• Only carry what you can safely handle. 

• When in doubt about any machine or procedure, don’t use it... STOP AND SEEK ADDITIONAL INFORMATION FROM THE INSTRUCTOR. 

******I have reviewed the general safety rules with the student. I understand that there is a risk of the student getting injured if these general safety rules are not followed at all times. I give the student permission to use the tools, machines, chemicals, and other hazardous items in the Technology and Engineering Laboratory once they have participated in the safety demonstrations by the instructor, and passed all safety tests with 100% accuracy. 

Click on the syllabus Acknowledgement button below to electronically sign the form.